The Twenty-eighth Night
by ZebedeeDaniels
Summary: Charlie James Remus Lupin knew he was different the night Voldemort tried to kill him. Tried being the main word. As darkness surrounds and night falls Charlie can't help but feel he should be something more. Something greater than what he already is. Starts from young age currently working through Hogwarts, Werewolf!Harry Powerful!Harry Darkbutnotevil!Harry Dark!Harry
1. Chapter 1

Accidents happen Chapter One - A new home:

Remus sat by the window of the coffee shop, staring out at the rain splashing down on the cobbled street. The sky was a cloudy grey with shafts of light peeking through occasionally, Remus took a sip of his coffee before returning to his watching. he often did this, watching the world go by, it helped him relax and just forget what had happened a sore year ago. As he gazed into the wet street before him, he fell against the window, his breath fogging up the glass, taking his sleeve he pulled it over his hand and smudged away the mist, leaving a smear that promptly disappeared. A man and a woman walked past hand in hand in front of him, laughing, they were happy in each other's company, just being. With a sigh Remus was left back to his thoughts, ' I'll never have that love, I'm a monster, who wants that as a mate?' he shuddered. He never planned on being so alone. Why would he? HAs he returned to his coffee, he heard soft footsteps behind him, he turned around to see who it was. Albus Dumbledore, the 'leader of the light'. He wore a grave expression. Remus motioned for him to sit down, Dumbledore did so before starting to speak.

'I'm here to talk about Harry,' he said darkly. Immediately Remus' head shot up and he looked Dumbledore straight in the eye warily. What of Harry?

'What about him? Is he okay?'

'The Dursleys aren't looking after him. They are borderline abusing him, if it were not for the wards I put up prohibiting it, I'm sure he would be!'

'No!' Remus breathed, 'No, there must be a mistake! Harry is the most lovely boy ever! How could they do that?' Remus cried out. He had always dreaded hearing that Harry wasn't loved as much as he should be, that someone wouldn't care for him as much as Remus did.

'We may never know, I know you are aware that you are Harry's guardian in a situation like this.' Remus nodded ' well it seems you need to look after Harry.'

Remus shook his head, 'No, I can't be! He has the whole wizarding world! I wish I could, but I'm a- a-... ' he lowered his voice 'Im a werewolf. You know this Dumbledore!'

'Yes, well. We are left with no other sane options. He is being neglected there. He is beaten and starved according to our source. ' Remus growled menacingly but Dumbledore carried on unpertered 'You are his last member of possible guardianship and we can't let someone so powerful be used by the minister! He is greedy! He has always wanted to have Harry on his side after that night!' Dumbledore hissed. Remus' feelings of well being were gone. He had wanted to forget that night. To pretend they were still alive.

'What do I have to do?' Remus asked.

'First, take this note from me with permission to bypass the adoption laws then wipe me,'

Remus took the parchment from Dumbledore's frail hand and then stared at him oddly, 'I'm obliviating you?'

'Yes,'

'But why? Why do I need to?' Remus said nervously.

'So no one, not even me, knows Harry's whereabouts,'

'Do I hav-'

'Yes.' Dumbledore said shortly taking Remus aback. 'Also, I do believe that if you ever had a son you would name him Charlie? Yes well, for Harry's safety it may be the wisest option to change his name, just so he can grow up fairly normally, also I've sent a house elf to set up a boy's room for Harry at your cottage. Well go on, wipe me,'

'If your sure?' at Dumbledore's nod, Remus lifted his wand and uttered the words he had never said before, '**Obliviate**,'

**Privet**** Drive:**

Remus apparated directly into the front garden. He started, this wasn't supposed to happen! The protection put in place must be failing. He crouched in the shrubbery, a notice-me-not charm He sat outside the house into the early hours of the morning, he was about to fall asleep when a little boy with messy black hair and purple eyes? opened the door and stepped out into the early morning sun. It was about five in the morning. Why was he out this early? Remus assumed this must be Harry, he was a miniature version of James just with green eyes. Wait?! Green eyes?! They were purple a second ago! That kid must have a lot of magic. Harry walked slowly along the meandering paving until he reached the garden wall, where he jumped up in a practised movement and sat on the red brick, staring up at the red sky above him, the grey clouds reflecting the red and orange, tricking Harry into a sense of warmth, even though it was freezing. Remus realised something, the boy wasn't shivering! He must be either extremely used to this or being aided by magic. Remus guessed a bit of both.

The small boy hopped off the wall and walked over to the hose, he pulled off his shirt and trousers, revealing white and red lines streaking across his back, criss-crossing and forming patterns on his body. Large purple bruises were scattered along his arms and back, flourishing. Remus winced at the sight, it didn't seem to be bothering Harry though. Was this normal for him? Questions circled Remus' mind, he was so deep in thought that he didn't realised what Harry was doing: washing himself with the cold water from the hose. He rinsed his hair and body of sweat and dirt, he clearly enjoyed this. Remus watched Harry for a few minutes as he set about his tasks, he weeded the lawn with nimble fingers and watered the blooming plants. One question was stuck on Remus' mind : Why was he out now? This was surely too early to be doing jobs. He was nearly three! This didn't bode well.

Remus made himself invisble, hopped out of the bush and walked a few metres down the road before making himself visible and walking back past Harry.

'Hello, you're up early! Are you ok?' he asked Harry, whose eyes flitted nervously to the front door.

'Yes sir, I doing jobs sir. Sowwy sir, who you?'

'I am Remus Lupin and you are Harry James Potter. Are you hungry?' Harry had a look of confusion on his face, but nodded anyway. He was different. Too wary.

Remus handed him a chocolate bar from his pocket, Harry accepted it and looked very protective, as if he fully expected Remus to take it back. When he didn't, Harry bit off the end and ate it slowly, savouring every bite. When he finished, he looked up at Remus, his emerald eyes confused.

'Fanks,' he whispered 'How's you knowing my name? What doing here? Sir? I not bein' good, so I get no food, you give me food.' his eyes conveyed confusion and suppressed curiosity.

'Harry, you have done nothing wrong-' Remus started.

'But I have! I didn't do job fast enuff.' Harry interjected and then he flinched away, his actions and words catching up with him.

'Harry, please listen to me! I KNOW you have done nothing wrong and that you are a lovely little boy who I really want to be friends with. Please trust me? Harry, do you know what a wizard is?' Harry nodded 'Well I'm a wizard and so are you. So we need to take you to a place where you can be a wizard, away from Muggles.' at Harry's look of confusion Remus added 'People who aren't magic.'

'Prove it.' he said coldly, warily. He shouldn't be like this! I pulled out my wand, it still was serving me well after almost twenty years.

'Incendio!' I said loudly enough for Harry to hear, a column of fire splayed out my wand and out into the morning air. Harry looked at me again, as if he was judging me but then he slowly nodded.

'Ok, but I don't want to get told off, Unca Vernon said I am a freak and that I not a wizard.' Harry said nervously.

'Harry, that's fine. But we have to go now! Fetch your stuff please so we can go! They'll be here really soon and we can't be seen!' Remus whispered. Harry nodded and made his way to the locked front door, he looked at Remus nervously, before he looked back at the door and twirled his finger in a small circle, to my astonishment, the lock clicked and the door swung open. Harry walked silently over to the cupboard, which Remus stared appalled at, opened the door and retrieved a snapped red crayon, a broken plush stag and a thread bare blanket.

Remus slowly stretched out his arm to Harry and said 'Harry you need to hold onto me so we can go, is that ok?' Harry nodded slowly and cautiously held Remus' scarred hand before Remus picked harry up and apparated away.

They arrived in the front room of Remus' cottage in Normandy. It was a medium sized building with a grey slate roof, ivy creeped up the side of the house, engulfing it in green. The cottage overlooked the nearby beach which Remus thought would appeal to Harry, the back of the house looked onto deep forest which Remus sometimes liked to prowl around of the full moon,the lawn was trimmed and large with newly erected Quidditch hoops at the far end. Remus set Harry down on the door step, opened the large oak door and showed him to his room. Dumbledore had set the room up Remus hoped! When they turned into Harry's room, Harry stood in the doorway in awed silence, looked up at Remus and whispered:

'Is mine?' at Remus' happy nod, he squealed and hugged Remus around his leg quickly before staring at a happy Remus, anxiety filling his face, but this changed at Remus' soft smile. Harry smiled a small smile back.

Remus smiled at his happiness, one step in the right direction he thought!

**A/N: Thanks for reading, Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Harry was looking around his room, in the cupboard, which Remus assured he wouldn't sleep in, his bed, which he promptly sat and then bounced once on and, to Harry's amazement, a toy chest with a stuffed lion toy, a pile of children's books, a stuffed llama with a label around its neck saying Carl and pack of child friendly exploding snap cards. When Harry asked what they were, Remus laughed and sat down to play a game of exploding snap with him after dinner. Remus let Harry win naturally, but Harry seemed to know that Remus was the better player in this game. Remus noticed this with amusement at his correct observation. Not many two olds could do that! After another two rounds, Harry let out a yawn and Remus decided it was time to send him to bed. He undressed and redressed Harry in new red and blue pyjamas and tucked him into bed.

The next morning, Harry knocked softly on Remus' door and walked in, Carl in hand. Remus smiled and motioned for Harry to sit on the bed. Harry smiled and clambered onto the four-poster bed, Remus had to help him get on as Harry was still tiny. They played some games like eye spy and read some tales of Beedle the Bard and then went down for breakfast.

Whilst Harry was eating his toast and jam- Harry nearly died of shock when Remus told him he could have some - Remus asked Harry about what they wanted to do today.

'Can play hide and seek?' Harry asked quietly, when Remus didn't immediately reply Harry shrunk back as if he was waiting for Remus to start shouting.

'Sure, then we can have lunch and after we can play in the garden.' Remus replied. Harry smiled at that, but only in relief buy also he was only allowed to go in the garden if it was for a job with the Durselys.

'Who you really? Why I live wiv you?' he asked quietly.

'I am called Remus Lupin, I am twenty one, almost twenty two and I am going to be looking after you until you leave home when you get married. I am looking after you because I knew you as a baby and was a friend of your parents .I'm going to be like your daddy.'

Then he asked a question that Remus never thought he would have to answer.

'I call you daddy?'

'If you want. I suppose so...'

'Ok daddy!' Harry then burst into a fit of giggles, Remus wore an amused grin on his face at his ward's laughter.

When the giggles subsided, Harry had a look of confusion and thought on his face.

'What am I called? Cus I was Hawwy Potter but now you my daddy. So I'm not Hawwy Potter any more.' Harry asked with a serious look on his face that made Remus want to burst out laughing again.

'You could be Harry Lupin, or Harry Potter. My last name is Lupin so if you want that, you can have it.' Remus suggested.

Harry smiled, 'I now Hawwy Lupin!'

Remus felt warm inside, he had a son! A SON! He walked over to Harry and picked him up into his arms and hugged him and Harry hugged back.

They played hide and seek for hours, had a picnic and played garden games like find the gnome, only one thing could spoil this. And that was the full moon.

The full moon was in three days time and Remus had been so happy he had forgotten all about it! How could have been so stupid!? He had put Harry at risk! He drank his potion hurriedly, hoping everything would be all right! Remus felt more alive than he had in a long time, Harry was happy, he was happy, life was good.

Remus walked up Diagon Alley with an astonished Harry in his arms, they walked quickly up the high street towards Gringotts, only stopping to help an elderly lady pick up her dropped pot of Newt Eyes off the floor. Remus walked quickly and quietly and when they reached Gringotts, he walked straight towards the head teller.

'I wish to key my ward into my vault.' he said quietly.

'Oh, that shoudln't be a problem Mr. Lupin, a drop of your ward's blood if you please,' the goblin said in a dangerous voice, Remus pulled out his wand and painlessly extracted a drop of Harry's blood and levitated it onto the bowl of clear liquid that had just appeared in front of him, the bowl strongly resembled Dumbledore's pensieve, it had runes carved around the edge and Harry seemed very inquisitive about it, 'probably the magic was pulling him' Remus guessed after seeing the natural affinity the boy had already. The potion turned into a swirling pool of colours, all linking together slowly but then they became seemless and as though they had already been together. The goblin almost inperceptably raised his eye brows, but Harry noticed but didn't think anything of it.

'It is done, I should go and blood adopt the boy before you do anything else though, I hear that you have been given special permission from Dumbledore to adopt him, that is why I asked no questions, I wastold early today to expect such a visit,' Remus almost inaudibly growled at this, at both the foretelling and the 'special' permission.

'Thank you, we shall be on our way, may your vault flow with gold,' Remus said silkily as they turned to leave. He left the premises and apparated to the ministry immediately, he stepped into the telephone box, typed in the numbers and stated his need 'Remus Lupin, adopting Harry Potter,' , the box dropped into the ground and they appeared in the crowded ministry atrium, Remus hurriedly stepped out the box and made his way to the Adoption and Child Welfare Department.

When he arrived, he was greeted by a wicth with pale, pointed features and black glossy hair, she had a smooth, seductive voice, she wore a red robe with black under-robes.

'Hello, welcome to the Adoption and Child Welfare Department, how may I help you?'

'I want to adopt my ward please, I've been granted special permission from Dumbledore to do this by the way,'

'Your ward's name sir?'

'Harry- Potter.' he said quietly. But it was to no avail, as the lady let out a loud gasp and stood up to peer at the boy.

'Bless my soul, it is!' she cried, she reached out to touch his scar but Remus hid Harry from her view.

'You shall show professionalism about this case, my future son may be famous, but he is only two!' he snarled, the lady visibly shrank back into her seat. Remus knew that was exactly why Dumbledore hadn't wanted Harry in the magical world, all the fuss would drive any boy insane!

'Yes, sir, of course sir. Please fill out these forms and then take a seat in the waiting area.' she said, handing over a large bundle of paperwork.

'**Name:** _Harry James Potter_

**Suggested Adoptive Parent: **_Remus John Lupin_

**Reason for Adoption: **_I care for Harry greatly and was a close friend of his parents, I care for him like I would my own son._

**Any Reasons Against Adoption Case: **_I have Lycanthropy, but use a newly developed potion to let me control myself, I would also leave Harry in the care of Minerva McGonagall or Albus Dumbledore whilst I was incapacitated._

**Blood Status: **_Not that this really matters I'm guessing, but pure blood._

**Adoptee's Blood Status: **_Half Blood_

**Would Your Adopted Son/Daughter Take On Your Blood Status?: **_Yes_

**Where Do You Live? Is It Habitable?: **_I LIVE there, of course it is! and I live at Lupin Cottage, Normandy._

**Qualifications?: **_Five Os in my NEWTs in DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and History of Magic, I also have a Muggle Degree in History and both muggle and wizarding teaching._

**Job: **_Tutoring and writing_ books_ on DADA_

**Would you give your life to save your child?: **_What kind of question is THAT?! I could be LYING and you couldn't tell! But yes, I would without a second thought._

**_Thank you for your time, we hope your case goes through._**'

First form completed, twenty more to go! Remus thought.

'Mr. Lupin, I see that you have special permission from Albus Dumbledore, you hold quite an- interesting case here, what with yout Lycanthropy and all, however, I do feel that perhaps we coudl discuss where you shall be living? or even better, visit?' said a stately man in black robes sitting behind a large desk with various spinning contraptions on it, Remus was reminded strongly of a certain headmaster's office.

'That is fine, we can visit now if you would like? I'm connected to the floo on the exception of full moons whilst the moon is up.'

'No, that is fine, I was just testing to see how confident you were about your living conditions and et cetera! But all seems to be fine, thank you anyway, that is good to know that you have protections in place,' he smiled warmly, ' I must say, you have blown all my previous misconceptions out the water, obviously wizarding kind has misplaced their fears!' Remus smiled grimly, nodding slightly.

'Just sign here then,' he gestured to the new piece of paper, Remus signed, he was so close to having a son, he couldn't bear to think this could go wrong now!

'And now put a drop of your and your son's blood in this vial and then pull out some of your magical essence and your son's and then shake to activate!' Remus did this, he started shaking hoping that this was going to work, he couldn't feel a difference and then it hit. It was like something was immersing you in warmth and magic, encasing your very being. It was good. He hadn't noticed, but the room had glowed gold for a few seconds, this pleased the man greatly.

'Well it seems that you and your son have now been connected magically and by blood, please choose a new name for your son as well as his old name, both are legal, but one must have your last name Mr. Lupin,' Remus hummed in thought for a few seconds before deciding on

'Charlie, Charlie James Remus Lupin.' that had a nice ring to it.

'Well Mr. Lupins, have a nice life, we hope you and your son have no problems.'

When they arrived back at the cottage, Harry's hair had turned a light shade of brown with blond flecks in, his eyes were a greeny blue and he was slightly taller but kept his skinny-ness, his ears were very small and he had a button nose. He looked like a cross between Remus and James and Lily as children, but Harry definitely had a Remus look to him. Much to Remus' surprise, as Harry gave out a little snore, indicating that he was in fact asleep as Remus had guessed, his hair flashed a turquiose blue for a few seconds. Strange.


	3. Chapter 3: Surprises

1 year later - Charlie's 3rd birthday.

'Daddy, can I invite Nev round for my birthday?'

'Of course, I'll owl his grandmother today. I can't believe my Charlie Cub is going to be 3! This requires a visit from the TICKLE MONSTER!' Remus laughed as he swooped Charlie up and lightly threw him onto the green sofa in the sitting room, he wore a mischievous glint in his eye that Charlie had learnt to love, it meant that his daddy was not only up for playing games but up for pranks and fun!

'No daddy! No!' laughed Charlie as Remus tickled him 'Please!'

'It's ok cub, I magicked it away!' Remus whipped out his wand and threw bubbles and smoke around the room making it appear that he had fought off a ferocious monster in a very non-violent way. Charlie, however, was smarter than that.

'But you're the tickle monster daddy! I saw you!'

'Did you? You caught me! Your turn!'

Charlie leaped onto Remus' lap and started to 'tickle' Remus, Remus laughed to entertain Charlie, but now he thought about it, he was actually starting to tickle him! Remus pulled him into the air, swang him around and into a hug, they laughed together and then Remus sent Charlie upstairs to play for a while whilst he organised Charlie's party. Remus had something secret and special ready for Charlie's birthday, Charlie didn't know yet but he was going to have a garden games party with his friends. As Charlie hadn't had a proper birthday party before Remus told Charlie a little bit, but not exactly what he was going to do so it would be a surprise. He had invited round Neville, Ron and his older twin brothers whom Charlie liked a lot. They knew not to tell Charlie about it.

Charlie walked in through the door after playing ground quidditch with his friends from next door.

'SURPRISE!' all his friends shouted as he walked through the door.

Charlie looked excitedly at Remus, then all of his friends. He had no idea that his daddy had got all his friends round for his party! His daddy had told him that some of his friends may be round but certainly not all of them! The twins, Nev, Lexi from next door were all round! Charlie gave a beaming smile and ran to hug his daddy, with a small kiss on the head he left and ran off to play with his friends.

'Charlie?' asked a small red head from beside Charlie.

'Yes Fred?'

'How'd ya know it was me? Most people can't even remember my name!' Fred gaped at Charlie who only smirked and tapped his nose - something he had seen his daddy do when he had a secret, which apparently he had a fair few of!

'I just can, you want to pull a joke on daddy?'

'Shall we tie his laces together?'

'YEAH! Come on, let's go!'

'Daddy, who am I?' Charlie asked.

'You are Charlie James Remus Lupin' Remus replied slightly confused by the line of questioning.

'But what about the dreams I have when my daddy and mummy are dead? Are they real?'

'Well I'm alive. I know that for certain and so are you.' Remus replied as he tried to evade the question, Charlie was too young to know all about that stuff! It would drive an adult to depression! Also, he had promised Dumbledore he wouldn't tell Charlie until he was old enough to cope, Dumbledore seemed to think there were still wizards out there who wanted to kill Charlie and although Remus was sceptical, he didn't want to push his luck.

'But they are real, look!' Charlie reached his hands out and made Remus look at him before showing him the memory.

_**'Stand aside you silly girl!'**_

_**'Please, not Harry! Take me instead!'**_

_**'AVADA KEDAVRA!' the woman dropped to the floor, her eyes rolled back and her mouth held open in a continious scream.**_

_**'Such a waste of magical blood, but it is almost muggle, so I shan't worry too much. Now for you, AVADA KEDAVRA!' the man said in a cruel high voice, the same as the laugh that had resounded seconds before. **_

_**Blackness consumed. **_

_**Black. Black. Black.**_

_**Red. Gold. Orange. Blue. Purple. Green. colours spread through out the destroye room, illuminating all hidden corners, engulfing everything in its wake, a scream of terror resounded, it was unholy, inhuman. **_

_**Normal sight resumed and Charlie pulled back.**_

'You remember?'

'Yes, I thought you would be able to tell me? I know these were my mummy and daddy and that that man was evil, but you never said. Who. was. that. man?'

'He was Lord Voldemort, he's gone now, you defeated him. I'm not your first daddy, but then I adopted you so you bacme my son.' Charlie nodded and tried to stifle a yawn, Remus took this cue to send Charlie up to bed.

The next morning Charlie woke up bright and early. He ran to Remus' room and jumped into the other side of the bed, Remus smiled and woke up a bit as he felt, heard and smelt Charlie coming into the room. As Remus was a werewolf, his senses were heightened and he could tell a person from another by their scent alone, sometimes it was dreadfully annoying though when he could smell a person's sweat and aftershave mingled together! Yuck!

He knew that he was a danger to Charlie, but he couldn't bear to fact the truth that when he told Charlie or if Charlie found out about his lycanthropy, he may turn on him and not want to talk to him properly. He knew this was extremely unlikely, but he knew they was a small chance.

_**4 months**_** later:**

**FRED, GEORGE, CHARLIE!** Where ARE you?!' screeched the voice of the a certain Mrs. Weasley from the kitchen. She had been making stew for the children when she went to collect her stock from the pantry, she opened the door and to her upmost surprise was covered in water, flour and feathers- she dreaded to think where the feathers came from! This stream of pranking had become the normal in the past two days that Remus Lupin's son, Charlie, had been staying over at the Burrow due to the full moon, Charlie and the twins were partners in crime when it came to pranks and games, they were practically inseperable and Mrs. Weasley was reminded of a certain group of boys Charlie's dad was part of. From upstairs she heard hushed giggles and whispers along with multiple slaps, which could only be interpreted as High-Fives, before seeing three innocent-looking boys staring down at her from the stairs; this look of innocence confirmed the matriach's thoughts.

'Yes Mrs. Weasley?' came the soft, curious reply of a certain Lupin.

'I do believe that you misplaced a bucket of flour, water and feathers today boys,' she began sternly.

'Did we?' Fred, or was it George?, said. He was a picture of innocence, ooh they learnt this young - Charlie was barely 3!

'Don't act all innocent with me boys, I know you did it,' Mrs. Weasley waggled her finger at the boys who could barely supress their glee at their success.

'Oh, but Mrs. Weasley, we were in the garden the whole time playing Quidditch!' Charlie said shaking his head frantically, at this, George couldn't hold it in any longer, he burst into laughter and grabbed onto the banister for support.

'I thought so, now who was the master mind?' Mrs. Weasley said , now she had got the answer out from them she could enjoy the prank - sort of.

'Charlie,' 'ME!' came the gleeful response from the plotters.

'Well, McGonagall would say: 'It is not done to dump objects on people's heads! But it is rather amusing,' if I catch you again... trouble,'

It was Fred who started saying, 'Alright mum,' but the others joined in at the same time, '_**You won't catch us,**'_


	4. Chapter 4: yet another birthday

8 months later, Charlie's 4th birthday:

_**' Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Charlie! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU**_!' Remus sang as he woke up Charlie on his birthday. Charlie shot up, almost hitting Remus in the head as he did so. He hugged Remus and held his hand as Remus carried Charlie down the stairs to the kitchen, where Charlie's breakfast of choice was ready.

'Love you daddy!' Charlie said as he looked across the table to his daddy.

'Love you too cub' Remus replied, smiling at Charlie. Charlie smiled back, he loved his nickname and always wondered why he got that name in particular. Remus hadn't told Charlie yet about his problem, but he called Charlie cub anyway.

'Would you like to open your presents cub?' asked Remus.

'I have presents? Again?' Charlie replied, seemingly genuinely confused. That was what concerned Remus, the actual confusion surrounding presents, he knew that children at first didn't understand the whole concept but Charlie was four now! Blasted Durselys!

'Yes, it's your birthday cub! You get presents! Especially from daddy!'

'Cool, thanks daddy!' Charlie got down from his chair after Remus got up to take him to his presents.

When they walked in the room, Charlie saw three wrapped boxes on the floor, a large one, a small one and a medium but long one. Charlie looked up at Remus for permission to open his gifts, Remus smiled and nodded. Charlie smiled back and walked over to the nearest one. He tore off the wrapping paper excitedly! Inside the box was a selection of books Charlie had seen and liked in the bookshop nearby, some muggle, some wizard. Charlie ran over to Remus and hugged him whispering 'I love you!' in Remus' ear. He then walked over to the large one and opened it, inside was star globe that projected stars onto the ceiling when dark if on. Charlie carefully removed it from the box and gazed at it in awe! He loved it! He told Remus so too.

Then Charlie went to open the last present, the medium but long one. This was the present Remus had had the most fun choosing, it was-

'A broom! For me? I love it so much daddy! Thank you so much! I love you!' Charlie exclaimed and promptly ran over to Remus and hugged him!

Mission accomplished.

**Remus' POV:**

'Daddy, can you change your hair and stuff?' Charlie asked curiously. I started, was Charlie saying that he could do that? The only person I knew who could do that was Sirius' little cousin Nymphadora, but she was a metamorphagus.

'Not without using my wand or a potion I can't, why?'

'Because this morning I was thinking about what I would look like with blue hair and then my hair became BLUE!' he said excitedly. He changed his hair colour because he wanted to know what it looked like? So that's how he had purple and then green eyes when I saw him, and how he had blue hair when he snored the next day! I was confused by that a lot! I thought it was some weird accidental magic or something.

'You can change your hair? Can you do anything else? Like change your skin colour?' I asked trying to grasp the depth of his skills.

'I think so,' he said as he nodded. He scrunched up his little face and made his eyes amber like mine and his skin more tanned than it was already. He was a metamorphagus! My son was a metamorphagus!

'Wow! Cub, that's- incredible!' I gasped.

'Really?'

'YES!' I said excitedly, pulling him into a hug.

'I'm gonna look like you dad!' he said proudly, puffing out his chest.

'Oh really?' I said jokingly.

'Yes.' He said simply, he scrunched up his face once more and then became a perfect copy of me but in miniature. AH MINI ME! It would have been okay of it weren't that Charlie's body was tiny and my face was much older than the rest of him.

'Riiight. That is- slightly disconcerting.' Charlie just grinned.

'Can you look like this person?' I said, searching through my wallet to look for some photos of some friends which I always kept on me. I held out the photo to him. He scrunched up his face and I watched as slowly his hair became longer and messier, his nose became sharper and longer, his chin was pointier and his hair finally turned raven black, he opened his eyes to reveal eyes that I hadn't seen in a long time. Hazel eyes.

'You look just like him.' I whispered to myself.

'Who is he? I thought he was my dad, my first dad.' Charlie said quietly, I looked him in the eye and nodded.

'Cool!' he whispered excitedly, 'Wait! I want to see what I look like!' he said, running off into the hall to look in the mirror. He squealed and ran back into the sitting room, making me to look at the carbon copy of my best friend, one that I still couldn't quite get round the idea that he was dead. Oh why did you have to be the ones? Why not someone else? I shook my head, mentally slapping myself for wallowing in self-pity and for wishing it on someone else.

'Daddy, why are you upset?' Charlie said quietly.

I looked him straight in the eye and said slowly, 'You look just like my best friend, just like your dad. I was thinking about how much I miss him and that you are such a good son that I wanted to tell them that.' I censored out the whole self-pity and killing off of other people.

'Oh ok, well daddy needs a hug from his cub!' he said softly, climbing onto my lap and putting his small arms around my neck. Charlie then picked up a book from the coffee table and opened it, spinning round so we could both see the pictures, 'and daddy needs a story from his cub's book.' I nestled my face into his messy crop of hair and he started to read.

'Mr. Boppy was a wiz- ard, a wizard. He licked- liked, playing Quidditch,' I inwardly laughed at Charlie's ability to read long, hard words about what he was interested in, but his struggle over saying 'liked' first time, 'He was a chaser and played for his team…' the story went on for multiple pages of Mr. Boppy also likes chocolate and cakes and he did this and he did that, until Charlie reached the last page and said, 'and Mr. Boppy also loves his daddy called Remus because he is the best daddy ever!' Wait?! What?! That's not in the story! Hang on, did he just say what I thought he just said? He did!

'And his daddy called Remus loves his cub because he always cheers his daddy called Remus up!' I finished, whispering into his ear. Charlie turned around and kissed my nose before sliding off my lap and onto the floor. He picked up his near by broom that he got today and pulled me up and off the sofa and into the garden.

'Daddy? Can you throw some of those muggle tennis balls for me so I can catch them?' he grinned. Such a Slytherin! Cheering me up and then getting me to play a game with him!

'Yes I can, but first get used to the broom by doing five laps at a slow pace around the LAWN and then two laps at a slow pace around the trees and then five fast laps around the lawn and the trees!' I said, summoning the tennis balls. He did his laps, gracefully weaving in and out the trees, lap by lap picking up speed before he zoomed back and pulled to a sharp stop in front of me.

'Ready?!' I asked to the now mini-me.

'You got it captain!' he said, where had he learnt that?! I slowly threw the ball to a metre to the left, he caught it and threw it back, I then threw it quickly a metre to the right, the same happened. We gradually got faster and faster until Charlie was zooming back and forth collecting multiple balls at the same time. As it started getting dark, he landed and just as we were about to go inside,

'Monsieur! Monsieur Lupin et ton petit!' It was Madame LeNoir arrived at our gate, she was wearing a long robe and had her wand in hand, this was the perfect opportunity to start Charlie talking French to people who weren't me, I had been talking to him in French and English so he could talk to the other children in the near by village, his first introduction had been a disaster.

**_Flashback_**

'Bon jour Charlie, je m'appelle Papa,' I said, I had been saying phrases like this to him for the past week, so far, he had shown only a few signs of understanding.

'Bon jaw Papa,' he said,

'Non Charlie, comme moi, _Bon __**jour**_!'

'Bon joar,' closer, he still said things in a very English way, something I was hoping to correct sooner rather than later.

'Bon **_jour, _**'

'Bon **jour !** ' he said excitedly. FINALLY!

**_End Flashback_**

'Bon jour Madame,' Charlie said happily, 'Comment allez-vous?'

'Ca va bien merci, ton Francais est bon Monsieur!' she said warmly, she had taken a great interest in Charlie's French, ever since she had overheard an outdoor lesson.

'Merci Madame! Avez-vous eu une bonne journée?' at hearing the direction of the conversation, I went to finish the dinner and lay the table, out of the window I could see and hear their conversation.

'Oui merci, et vous?'

'Tres bon merci, j'ai joué Quidditch avec Papa!'

'Ah bon! C'est tres amusent, n'est-ce pas?'

'Oui, c'est magnifique!'

'Charlie, le repas est prêt!' I called from the kitchen.

'Je suis desolée Madame, mais j'ai besoin d'aller!' he said as the old witch shook his hand and turned round to wander back down the windy lane we lived on.

**A/N: Kinda a filler, I know, but I just felt that I needed to bring back that they live in France... Read and Review (R&R) please!**

**If you don't speak French, the last line is _meant_ to say ' Sorry Miss, but I've got to go,'**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Magic and muggles

'Cub, look how old you are! I can remember when I first saw you! You were so young and small! Then when you came to live with me, I was over the moon! I love you cub!' Remus told Charlie with a beaming smile. Charlie had donned James' messy hair but in Remus' hair colour today along with his blue eyes, it seemed like a blend between the two of them- quite strange really. Ever since Charlie had seen the pic of James and properly realised who it was he had become obsessed with looking like him and Remus combined, every day a new blend occasionally with more abstract characteristics such as blue hair or red hair but always predominantly like James. Remus wasn't sure whether to be proud or slightly disheartened that Charlie wanted to look like James but that thought was quickly expelled when he realised he was being stupid- of course Charlie wanted to look like both his dads!

'What happened before I lived with you daddy? Why did I go somewhere else? Why were you not always my daddy?' Charlie asked

'Charlie, you see... Here's the thing... I'm not your real daddy. I am your daddy now because I've adopted you by blood and such. But I'm not your real daddy... I'm sorry. I still love you though cub! So much!' Remus told Charlie slowly and with more confidence as he saw Charlie's confusion become more understanding.

'I'm still Charlie Lupin though? Aren't I?'

'Yes. Yes you are.'

'Cool. Well I love you too... So much!' Charlie stretched his arms out wide and Remus sighed in relief that Charlie didn't seem to mind.

'Daddy, who is my real daddy?'

'Your other daddy was a really cool man called James Potter and your mum was Lily Potter.' Remus explained.

'Where are they? Why are you my daddy if they are?'

'Because Charlie... They're dead.'

A long, heavy pause filled the room.

'A bad man called voldemort came and killed them with-'

'Green light.' Charlie interrupted.

'You shouldn't have had to see that Charlie, if only I could change it, it shouldn't have been like this,' Remus said sadly, ruffling Charlie's hair.

'I know Daddy, I know,'

_**Later that**_** day:**

That day they played in the garden on the tyre swing Remus had made last summer and in the paddling pool. Remus looked around the garden happily, three years ago he would have never even had the idea of having a family. Small though it may be. After spinning on the swing for what seemed like forever, Charlie ran over and dumped himself on Remus' lap with an 'oof'. Remus looked down in amusement at his son's actions and sighed happily as Charlie began to sway side to side whislt humming Babbity Rabbit's cackling stump. Remus shook his head and closed his eyes at his son's antics, he was awoken by a sudden strong breeze whacking him in the face along with what seemed like rain, he opened his eyes and became rigid in shock as he took in his surroundings: their was rain, wind and stars in the air focused around him and Charlie as Charlie reached the part about a rabbit stuck in a storm in the song.

'Charlie!' Remus exclaimed.

'Yes, what daddy?' the wind stopped but some sparks hung in the air.

'Are you doing that?'

'The wind and stars? Yes daddy, why?'

'You've got magic cub!'

'Magic? Like you?'

'YES! My son had magic! He's a WIZARD!' Remus picked Charlie up and swung him around in the air and then pulled him in for a hug.

'I'm a wizard? Do I get a wand like you daddy?'

'Yes! When you turn eleven... Promise me one thing Charlie.' Remus crouched down 'Don't tell any muggles!'

'Ok daddy, why? Are they bad?'

'No, muggles just would want to have solutions to their problems... We're best left alone.' Remus explained.

'Cool! Can't catch me!' Charlie ran around the garden, Remus got up and followed him.

'Daddy, when can I have magic lessons like you had at Hogwarts?' Charlie asked out of the blue, Remus stared at him before looking towards the book shelf of reference and text books. Should he teach Charlie magic? He certainly showed a certain aptitude for magic unlike the second youngest Weasley that apparently was thought to be a squib according to the Diggorys.

'Yes, but first you need to learn to be better at writing so you can write some notes and such? I know they're boring but you can make your own spell book! I had one when I was younger and it had all the spells I had learnt about and pictures of Goblin Wars!' I said, trying to make the prospect sound better. Charlie looked at me doubtfully.

'Alright,' he said shrewdly, 'if I can do writing properly for you, can I start?'

'Yes.'

He held out a parchment and a quill and started to write,

'My name is Charlie James Remus Lupin,'

He showed me the parchment proudly, I stared at it, shocked, then I turned to Charlie who was looking at me expectantly, when he saw my jaw drop, he looked crestfallen and started to tear up. I clamped my jaw shut and ruffled his hair,

'It's fantastic-' I said whispered proudly to him.

He looked at me in an evaluating sort of way, 'You mean it!' he said.

'Yes, why wouldn't I?' I said, confused by his look and his phrasing.

'Because I thought you thought it wasn't very good. You looked- shocked! So I had to see if you were lying, I knew you don't lie, but I didn't fully understand your look and stuff.' He said simply, I stared at him again, how did he-? That was not normal for a five year old! That wasn't childlike behaviour, was it? He was different. More mature. Maybe I should talk to Molly Weasley, she has older children, she would know, maybe Charlie could 'hang out' with some of her children, the twins perhaps?

'Oh right, very astute of you.' He looked at me quizzically then his expression cleared,

'Thanks,' he said softly, before walking over to the book shelf, picking up 'Little spells for little people,' and placing it softly on the table, he looked at me as if he was searching for permission, when I didn't object he opened the cover:

'When you learn a new spell, be sure to have adult supervision to prevent you being seriously injured, however do not let this deter you in your quest for knowledge. Spell One: Lumos It is a flick of the wrist that ignites the end of your training wand, be sure not to jab the wand as it may cause flames. To extinguish the flame repeat the action and say 'Nox'

He looked up after reading the explanation, I held out my wand to him and he held it cautiously, he looked at the spell again, said 'Lumos' under his breath to practice pronunciation and then practised the wand movement. He let out a calming breath and then put the two together, 'Lumos!' he said clearly with a flick of his wrist, the end of his wand glowed with a brilliant white light, the ball of light pulsed and grew before flicking his wrist again and saying 'Nox'. His eyes were full of excitement and yearning, longing to do more magic.

'Cub, that was brilliant, absolutely super! Do it ten times in a row and we'll move on to the next spell or you can write this in your spell book?' I said, congratulating him. He looked at the wand, the book and then his empty spell book.

'I want to do more, but I want to make sure I put the spell in too,' he said quietly, tilting his head from side to side, his palms weighing up imaginary weights.

'Well, why don't we put the spell in your book first, then move on?'

'Ok, that's a good idea,' He picked up his colouring pens from the pen draw and started to write LUMOS in big letters on the parchment, only stopping to change colours.

_**Dumbledore's office:**_

_**(A/N: Dumbledore has had his memory obliviated by Remus:)**_

Albus Dumbledore sat wearily in his large maroon chair, it was his last testament to his old life as Transfiguration professor, a life he missed dearly. In that life, he had no need to worry about dark lords as there were none, he had defeated them all, he didn't have to worry about the knowledge of Harry Potter's whereabouts, he knew he was real and alive, but he had no memory of what had happened next, all he knew was that he was safe. He remembered fractions of conversations long gone,

'You know this Dumbledore!'

'The worst sort!-'

'The minister is greedy-'

'I can't!- But you must!'

It left him rather confused. And that was something that he didn't like.

He sat in the growing darkness twiddling his bony thumbs, he knew he shouldn't know where he was, that it was for the eluding boy's safety, but he couldn't help but feel that something had changed, something deep and dark. Something- dangerous.

'Albus, you must stop this groping at ONCE! The staff are growing worried at your constant looming and gloom! It is quite detrimental to the general atmosphere of the school! Even the Mandrakes are quiet! And you know that they are- noisy to say the least!' ranted Minerva McGonagall, she was current Transfiguration professor and her Scottish brogue had grown quite strong her nag.

'Yes, I'm sorry about it, but I just can't help but feel that something has changed.'

'Yes, well that's perfectly alright isn't it? Just leave the staff to do everything. Things change all the time Albus, for example, yesterday I ate some eggs that chicks hatched out of and started squawking 'EAT MORE BEEF!' that changed my whole perspective on eggs, I'll tell you that!'

'I suppose you are right as usual Minerva, just be aware, as Alastor would say: 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' ' she just smirked, well he assumed it was a smirk as her lips became thinner and the ends of her lips tilted upwards slightly, you could never be sure.

A/N: READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!


	6. Chapter 6

Accidents happen C6:

Charlie's 8 almost 9 years old:

'Charlie, you know that in a few days time it's the full moon?' Charlie nodded 'Well I can't be around properly on your birthday... You see, I would be very unwell then and that isn't very good on someone's birthday.'

'Why daddy? What happens on the full moon? Why does it matter?' Charlie asked quizzically.

'Well Charlie, you're old enough to know now that I'm a person who every full moon becomes a wolf. I'm a- a- a werewolf.' Remus glanced around to check for any people near by- he knew there weren't but he did it out of habit and then whispered the last word 'and it's dangerous for people, especially little people to be around me.'

'I'm not little! What will we do?'

'You don't mind that I'm a werewolf?' Remus asked, shocked.

'No daddy, you have always been a werewolf with me. I never minded...'

'Oh well, that's a surprise!' Remus grinned 'I was scared you wouldn't like me.'

'I don't...' Remus paled and his eyes started to water 'I LOVE you! You are my daddy!' and with that Charlie ran into a hug and kissed Remus' side.

'I love you too cub. I love you too.'

The sun started to go down, Remus dreaded this moment. He knew that through the next few days he would be irritable and then be in a lot of pain. He tucked Charlie into bed and went to get into his pyjamas. He climbed wearily into bed and fell asleep. Remus tossed and turned all night and when he woke up he realised that he had wrapped himself in his duvet so tightly that he had to use magic to get himself out! Charlie walked into the room and climbed into the bed, hugging Remus and snuggling up to him. Remus was weary, but always had energy to hug his cub. No matter what.

'My birthday's tomorrow.' Charlie said.

'Yeah, it is. And your party's in three days time! How exciting! You will be 9 years old! A whole 9!'

Charlie grinned and carried in hugging Remus.

'Love you daddy,' he whispered.

'Love you so much cub,'

'I love you more!'

' I wouldn't be too sure of that cub!' Remus growled playfully and started to tickle Charlie until tears streamed down Charlie's face with laughter.

They read a book that Remus tended to leave next to his bed for occasions like these, they sat reading peacefully for what seemed like ten minutes, but was actually thirty, Remus slipped out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He looked ghastly.

His face was pale and he had large black and purple smudges from sleep deprivation under his eyes, his mouth was tight and his lips were slightly swollen from all the biting his lip he had done in his little sleep. His hair was just wild. There was no other way of describing it. Just wild. His fringe was hanging in front of his eyes and the rest was like he had been attacked in the night, but the only thing that could have attacked him were his pillows. He groaned and started to brush his teeth, he couldn't stand having dirty teeth, it made his skin crawl, he didn't know why, but the feeling just repulsed him.

After he cleaned his teeth, they went down for their breakfast - jam on toast and peanut butter on toast. Remus read the paper and Charlie looked at the funny cartoons on the back page.

Life was good.

But all good things must come to an end.

The full moon rose up into the night sky, silver light reflected off and down into the house. Remus crouched in the locked basement, counting down the seconds until he knew the pain would hit. It had been a month since he had told Charlie.

3,2,1..

There it was, he gasped as a pain in his gut made him fall onto the floor. His insides were on fire! He screamed as his bones broke and reset into the body of the werewolf. The pain spread rapidly to his limbs and brain, it burned, oh it burned!

He screamed again! But this time Charlie heard when Remus' magic wavered with his transformation. He huddled up in the corner of his bed as he heard his daddy screaming. He started to cry as he heard the screams turn into a howl. His daddy wasn't there anymore. But he was safe, daddy had told him. He had spent all day putting up barriers and blocks. Charlie tried to sleep.

_**Guys, I know this was waaaayyy shorter than what it could've been, but let's be honest: Who actually really wanted to read self-pitiful drivel for about ten minutes? So I got to the point... Read next chapter to get to the good part!**_

_**R&R xx**_


	7. Chapter 7

Charlie woke up as he heard the third step from the top creak. He froze, there was no one in the house apart from him and daddy... Charlie's mouth was dry, it was daddy! Daddy's magic hadn't worked! There was a werewolf loose in the house! Charlie held his breath and shrank back into the corner of his bed. He pulled Carl the llama towards him. Charlie inhaled quickly as he heard a growl, it was silent.

Then, through the darkness, Charlie saw the door knob start to turn. Tears streamed silently down his face. The door started to open. Charlie whimpered as a glowing amber eye peered around the door.

The wolf growled and slowly started to stalk towards Charlie. Charlie gasped in fear, the wolf growled more and proceeded towards Charlie.

Charlie slipped out of bed and backed slowly away until he felt the corner of the room behind his back. Charlie was openly crying now.

Remus growled loudly. No. Charlie reminded himself, it wasn't daddy, daddy wasn't there anymore. Stuff that.

'Please daddy, please! Please daddy! DADDY!' Charlie said loudly, fear filling his voice.

Charlie stumbled and the wolf pounced.

Charlie screamed as a burning pain spread through his left shoulder as large teeth pierced his skin. He cried out and felt blood pouring down his chest, staining his shirt with puddles of red. The werewolf stared hungrily but abstained. He knew this was his cub, Remus' human side came through suddenly. His cub, his Charlie! He was bleeding, he was bitten. He had bitten his son! What had he done!? Remus ran, leaving a badly cut and scratched Charlie behind. Charlie's fragile body erupted in pain and he gasped for breath, but no matter how much he breathed, it wasn't enough. The pain encased him in what seemed like cold fire, burning hot and then replacing the burn with an even more painful cold, it was like someone was suffocating him, suffocating him in pain. Charlie screamed again and again from the pain until he passed out. The darkness consumed.

Remus transformed painfully back and as soon as he was up, ran straight to Charlie's room, where he found him huddled in a pool of blood. 'NO!' he screamed, it hadn't been a terrible nasty dream like he had hoped, he had done this! He ran over and scooped Charlie up and raced down the stairs to fire place where he floo'd Madame Pompfrey.

'Remus? What's the matter? Remus?' Poppy rushed over towards him, his face was pale and he had blood on his clothes, he held a boy in his arms.

'I- It's Charlie! Please just- just help him!' he cried.

'Well, ok!' Poppy said in a fluster 'What's the problem? What happened? Last night was the full-'

'I b- bit hi- him.' he stuttered.

'Oh Remus! Poor Charlie! Quickly, get Albus!'

'Ok, here's Charlie. Please, please don't let him be like me. Don't let him be a monster.' and with that Remus ran off to get Dumbledore.

** Charlie's rather lovely, not at all depressing POV:**

The pain still burned, like hot embers retain their heat long after the fire's died. Now it was more like a strong ache that radiated around my shoulder. I blearily opened my eyes and to my amazement, everything was crystal clear! And it smelt: bad. Very bad. It was like someone had combined all known cleaning products and stuck them in one room with no fresh air, there was also a sickly sweet smell of lemon, rather oxymoronic, I know. In front of me sat an ancient man with a long white beard, a pointed hat and a long, rather gaudy robe, he smiled at me, I didn't smile back.

'Ah, Charlie. How do you feel, my boy?' enquired Albus.

'I hurt. A lot. Where's daddy?' I said warily, eyeing all the possible exits to look for escape routes if this man did anything funny.g

'He's... Sorting things out a bit. I'll call him for you.' The old man conjured his patronus - a Phoenix- and mumbled something incoherent.

Suddenly, dad burst through the doors and sprinted towards my bed.

'Charlie, oh Charlie. I'm so sorry! Please, I'm so sorry! I still love you though. No matter what.' he rushed out.

'What do you-' yesterday's events rushed through my mind: the wolf, the bite, the blood. 'Oh.'

'It's ok, we can deal with it.'

'I'm like you now? A werewolf?' I stated as much as I asked.

Dad nodded slowly. On the inside I screamed, on the outside, I pulled on my best occlumency face and stared blankly before saying,

'Oh right.'

'Charlie, speak to me. What are you thinking?' Dad asked concernedly. What do I think? I think that it's unfair, I don't want to be like this, no one will want to be my friend andI had just become friends with Fred and George! All because of one thing:

'I'm a monster.' I spat out the last word.

**The Weasley's place:**

'Fred! George! Can you come here please?' called Mrs. Weasley up into the vast space above her, two heads popped up over the banisters about five floors up, looking down at her.

'Yes?' they said together, you see, Fred and George were twins and said and did everything together.

'Down here boys,' she said to them wearily, she had just had a floo call from Dumbledore concerning the twins' friend Charlie Lupin, apparently something had happened to him and he was in hospital, but he was very vague and all 'I think they shall find out when Charlie is ready to tell,' which didn't help her burning curiosity.

'What's up with mum?' said Fred to George as they sped down to the kitchen.

'Yeah, she seemed all upset! Maybe somethings happened to dad? Or Charlie or Bill!'

'Nah, the whole family would be here in that case, must be something else,'

'Do you know what?'

'Yes, obviously, that's why I was asking you!' Fred said sarcastically.

'Oh right, stupid!' George face palmed himself.

'AYE AYE CAPTAIN!' they saluted their mother when they arrived in the kitchen, but they didn't get the response they expected, instead of a laugh, their mother looked pitifully at them.

'Mum, what's wrong?' whispered George.

'What's happened?' asked Fred.

'Well you know your friend Charlie?'

'Charlie Lupin-'

'The one we do pranks with?'

'Yes, he's been in an- accident. He is in hospital at the moment, I thought you should know.' Fred and George paled and Fred started to cry.

'He's not gonna die?' he sniffled, 'Is he?' George started to cry at this idea too.

'No, no! He is going to live! We can visit him, most likely! Dumbledore said he was just in an accident,'

'Can we, please?'

'PLEASE MUM! WE BEG!' said Fred, dropping to his knees alongside George.

'Yes, I'll ask Remus now!' she said, hurrying over to the floo point. She stuck her head in and after five anxious minutes for the twins, reappeared and told them to put on their coats and shoes and be downstairs in five and apparently Charlie likes chocolate frogs at the moment!


	8. Chapter 8

'A monster. Just a monster.'

'Charlie, don't say that! You're not a monster; you're my little Charlie cub. You always have and always will be.'

'Apart from on the full moon. Then I'll be a monster. A murderous animal.'

Charlie's face was a pale and contorted with pain.

'I am daddy. I am.'

'Cub, please. Don't say these things. You're not. I am, I'm the one who did this to you.'

'Can't change that now. I'm like you. A werewolf.'

Tears of guilt and emotional pain ran down Remus' face. This was all his fault, he thought, all his fault. He had made his son a monster for the rest of his life. He should never have let him stay in the house, even when Dumbledore said he would be fine.

'I can't tell you how... How extremely s- sorry I-I-I am. I'm so sorry Charlie. I'm so sorry cub. Please forgive me?'

Charlie looked Remus straight in the eye, a vacant expression on his face. They sat in silence for what seemed like forever.

'Ok.' Charlie whispered.

Remus' face coloured a smudge. He went to hug Charlie but stopped when he felt Charlie shudder from crying. Remus went to look Charlie in the eye and saw he had tears pouring down his face, silent tears.

Guilt intermingled with depression filled Remus. It was his fault, all his fault, and Remus hated himself for it.

The hospital wing was dark and silent apart from Charlie's laboured breathing. Remus sat in silence listening to Charlie, his cub, sleeping. Tears streamed down Remus' face, he watched Charlie in the darkness. He sat there for who knows how long until his sensitive ears picked up Charlie's night time mumblings.

'Santo your fault... No its not... Daddy? Where are you?... Love you... I don't... No...' Remus almost had to physically restrain himself from grabbing Charlie up into his arms and hugging him. Instead he gripped the side of his seat and sat there perched on the edge waiting for more.

~~~~~The dream that Charlie is having~~~~~

Charlie walked down a long dark corridor, ears listening keenly for any movement. Charlie heard scuffling in a room further down the corridor, the door was slightly open and a shaft of light came through the slit. Charlie opened the door and poked his head through into the room, in the middle of the room was his daddy sitting in the centre of the room. He looked haggard and too skinny, Charlie walked over and Remus looked up sharply. His face was scarred and had tears mingling with the bruises in his face.

' 'Lo Charlie.'

'Hi dad, why are you here?'

'So I don't hurt you. So I never hurt you again.' Remus looked away.

'Hurt me? Dad, you'll hurt me more if you leave me. It's not your fault. It wasn't your fault that the potion didn't work.'

'Charlie, of course it is! Of course it is! I've ruined your life! ' he said, his voice hoarse.

'No, it's not. Daddy of course it's not.'

Remus ran out of the room and down the dark corridor, lights flickered and a strong wind blew down the path.

'Daddy? Where are you? Daddy!?'

Charlie panted as he tried to find Remus.

'Daddy! Where are you? I still love you, I don't care!' he shouted.

'Well, you should' a voice sounded from down the corridor.

'Well, I don't so...'

'It's for your own good.'

'No. Dad no.'

'I'm sorry Charlie. I'm so sorry, I can't do this to you.'

'Daddy, I love you no matter what.'

The scene changed...

'Stand aside... Stand aside you silly girl.'

'Not Charlie, anything but Charlie! Please!'

A cold cruel laugh...

'AVADA KEDAVRA!'

Back in the hospital wing:

Charlie thrashed about his covers, his arms flailing and his body contorted in pain.

'Mummy! No...' Charlie whimpered.

Remus froze in shock, unsure of what to do. Charlie was shaking violently, moaning something unintelligible. He woke with a start, he hand clapped against his forehead.

'Charlie, cub? You alright?' Remus asked anxiously.

'Yeah, it was nothing... I'm fine.' he replied with a non-committal shrug.

'You didn't seem it. Anything you want to talk about?' Remus probed.

'Nah, just a nightmare. Just a lot of green light-'

Remus visibly paled.

'Green light... Green- ' he mumbled.

'Yeah, I'm used to it now. I'm going back to sleep, I'm tired. I'll talk to you in the morning... Love you daddy.' Charlie whispered as he closed his eyes and fell to sleep on the pillow.

Remus sat there in the darkness for hours, watching Charlie, thinking about what he was going to do, how he could help. Remus paced frantically, so much so that he was starting to wear down the carpet, until he had a realisation. A bad one at that. He couldn't do anything, Charlie had lycanthropy. He couldn't change that; he could hide it and make it a secret, but nothing else. He would make it a secret, a well-kept secret. Remus knew what to do, what he had done and lived. It wouldn't make life easier unless he became a teacher of some sorts, but at least he would have friends.

THIS NEXT SECTION IS A BIT OF FLUFF AND GENERAL SNAPE BASHING! He's an ok guy, but the idea came into my head and so I wrote it down...

Snivellus- sorry did I write that? I meant Severus Snape's rather discriminative POV:

The wolf was back. Ergh, how did Dumbledore ever allow a monster like him in? And now the wolf has a son, or should I say, cub? I laughed at my own wit. Sometimes I feel it goes to waste on these dunderheads, especially that oaf, Hagrid. I had been called to the infirmary for some elusive reason by Dumbledore, it seemed that he needed my assistance in some task, personally, I would just get one of his lackeys to do it, but no, it must be me, the cold, dreaded potions master, the bat of the dungeons, the greasy git.

I pushed open both the double doors and strode into the infirmary, my cloak billowing behind me. Being cold and dreaded has few perks, but being able to billow your cloak is one of them. I saw a group of people huddled around one bed, the headmaster and the wolf being two of them, I sneered at them, what could possibly be so important as to need me? I was very happy prowling around the dungeons!

'Well, well, well, what have we here?' I said sardonically. The wolf span round to face me, his eyes were red and blotchy, his robes were wet down the front and he had a tissue in his hand.

'What do you want?!' he spat.

'I was admiring the view. What does it look like? I'm here because of our kind headmaster's invitation.' I said with my trade mark sneer.

'Please Remus; do not get too upset, lest Severus finds himself with some vital organs, for example, his head. Severus, do not antagonise him, he has just had some bad news.'

'What has he got fleas?' I smirked.

'NO! You ANIMAL! YOU SLIMY SNAKE! MY SON HAS GOT LYCANTHROPY! YOU GOT THAT!? Or do you want me to demonstrate?' he seethed, his hands clenched into fists, 'I'm sure it could be arranged.'

'Dad, it's fine, I'm sure the bat can't help it!' came a feeble voice from behind the others, I walked to see who the new monster was, he was a replica of the older wolf.

'So you've found your wolf side eh?'

'Yes I have,' he said pleasantly, 'Can I help you?'

'No, I was just thinking of how much you are like your father… Thank you for stopping him, I do value my head.'

'I didn't stop him for your sake Snivellus,' he spat, 'I don't want my dad to go to Azkaban, I personally think you would deserve it after all you've done. What with the discrimination and all. I've heard about how much you hate werewolves!'

'You ungrateful brat! How dare you insult me! I'm your superior!'

'Because you are human? Nice try, how's the tattoo going? No pains recently?' How did he know? I clamped my hand on my left arm.

'You told him?!' I said in a deadly voice.

Wolf Sr. stared at me wide eyed, 'No, I didn't! Swear I didn't! I don't know how he knows!'

'Oh come on guys! You can literally feel the dark magic leaking! It's like a dripping tap!' the little monster said knowingly.

'Right. And you know that feeling how?' I threw at him.

'I just do. Like the fact that you reek of dark magic, but the magic on your arm isn't your own, it's someone three times your power's!' I hurled myself at the boy ready to wring his neck but I found myself stopped by an invisible force.

'Come one step closer and I will have to hurt you,' he said quietly.

'Now come one Charlie, no threatening!' said Albus jovially. HOW COULD HE JUST LET THAT GO BY?!

'I wasn't threatening,' I spluttered at his stupidity, 'I was telling the truth.' That shook me to the bone, it practically was a dark lord in miniature.

'Now now, you're just anxious from the bite, you'll settle down soon.'

If only.

'Dad, when are Fred and George arriving?' Charlie asked from his bed, he had the defence text book for fourth years spread open on his lap, I don't know how he understood it, or even did some of the magic - I had seen various spells flying across the infirmary when he thought no one was looking.

'Ten minutes Molly said, now remember, don't say something you're not sure about, for example, if you want to tell them yet.'

'Yes dad,' Charlie said in a bored tone, 'I won't, I'll probably tell them when they work it out, because then they'll have to approach me, so they'll be ready for the possible answer, like you did.' I smiled at him, I had spent the past day telling him about stories from Hogwarts to try and make him feel a bit better about himself and his situation.

'You are so relaxed about this all, it's weird! Why aren't you FREAKING OUT?!' his laid back approach to having some of his best friends visit after being bitten was mind boggling!

'Should I be?' he smirked.

'YES! No! I don't know!' I said in confusion, he smiled at me as if had some knowledge that I didn't know about, 'so how ARE you so calm?'

'Well, basically, I make myself look relaxed and use a small amount of Occlumency and the rest is just a straight face, on the inside I'm actually dying of fear.' _the poor thing! I can now understand how he is acting how he is, I was the same in the weeks after, but that all changed after my first transformation and then it set in and I became much more quiet about it... Maybe I should hug him now? I really should, but would he want that? Who cares - apart from him? I am anyway!_

I pulled him into a hug and ruffled his messy hair, since he had realised that he could change his appearance he had made his hair what I call and 'organised mess', well originally just 'mess' but then I realised it had a sense of order to it, small that it be.

'You don't have to worry about telling them anything... Not today.' I whispered to him.

'Thanks daddy,' he looked up at me, his eyes becoming watery and lost, 'can you stay with me?' he said so quietly that I'm sure the average human wouldn't have been able to hear it.

'Yes,' I nodded profusely, 'yes, of course I will.' He looked so lost and vulnerable, he was so small in the large white bed he sat on, his skin was healed but the tip of a crescent scar was visible through the top of his t-shirt. I knew though that his skin would become even more marred as his life went on. It was _inevitable._ As we sat in comfortable, pensive silence, I just listened to the sounds of the castle, the steps in the infirmary office, Charlie's heart beat, our breathing, _steps coming into the hospital wing! _Dumbledore was speaking to someone outside,

'_Just wait here for a second please, I would like to check that he is -decent and ready for visitors,' _he stepped inside the infirmary and softly shut the door behind him, he wore a small smile and had his usual twinkle in his eye.

'I see that you are decent, but are you ready? The twins are outside along with Molly Weasley, I think it would be best if Charlie and you and the twins came in first, I shall make pointless chit chat with Molly until you are ready for them to leave. Is that acceptable for you?' he said softly. Charlie was looking at him in a contemplative sort of way, like he was reading him, like he was checking him for anything bad.

'That is fine, thank you headmaster. You ready to see the twins, cub?' Charlie nodded quickly, he was shaking with excitement and what I guess were nerves.

'I shall fetch the boys,' he said, sweeping out the room with a wink, seconds later in burst two excitable red heads.

'CHARLIE!' they said loudly, running towards the bed, I winced at the loud footfalls and voices, I was still sensitive from the full moon.

'Fred, George!' Charlie said with glee.

'What's wrong?' the twins started their question time, their enquiries in quick succesion.

'Are you ok?' a pause.

'Do you want some chocolate frogs?' the rest of us looked at Fred in incredulation.

'Well, we did get you some!' he said sheepishly, holding out a pack of frogs, from what I could see, the twins' pockets were stuffed full of the things.

'Yeah, we did! We weren't sure if you'd want any, but we figured if you did, you could.' George fished out some packs as well and dumped them by Charlie's feet.

'_Wow_,' Charlie said quietly, 'thanks guys!'

'So Charlie, what is actually wrong with you?'

'Mum said you were in an accident, but she didn't say what.' Charlie's face paled dramatically and he looked at me in a silent plea for help.

'He smashed up his arm a bit,' I interjected, saving Charlie from having to lie, instead, I did, 'but, he's pretty much fine now, just recovery and stuff from blood loss,' the twins looked satisfied at that answer.

'Cool!'

'We always knew that our partner in crime was a daredevil.' Charlie smirked at that.

'You know me, always the dangerous one,' he didn't know how right he was, we are dangerous, very dangerous, one mistake and-

'So, any pranks you've made?' Fred asked.

'Yeah, but they're not for dad's ears.' the twins looked at each other and then back at Charlie, they had mischievous faces on.

'Your secret-'

'Is safe-'

'With us-'

'Partner!'

I got so scared sometimes by their plotting. **_So very scared. _**Conversation carried on like this until Molly walked into the room, gave me the 'evils' as Charlie called them, gave sympathetic looks at Charlie and then ushered the twins out the room, leaving Dumbledore standing in the centre of the room, a confused Charlie and an mildly annoyed me. She never could get over the fact I was a werewolf, and now she seemed to have transferred her annoyance slightly over to Charlie, hang on, what was up with the sympathetic look she gave Charlie? Dumbledore hadn't told her? Had he? Because if he had-

'She is none the wiser of Charlie's condition. Thankfully! I can't imagine it would be very advantageous on the boys' friendship! I do try to convince her that it isn't an issue, but some things run too deep. However, I feel that may change with your son's friendship, perhaps old prejudice can be abolished? For when we stand together and in unity, we can overcome the hardships of the few. And the few just happen to be you two young men!' he said in his usual _annoyingly _**_cryptic_** he not just say it straight? Well, it certainly does give you food for thought.

'Well, that IS a relief!' I sighed, Charlie's skin coloured a bit after paling yet again at the look of Molly and my face.

'Dad, when can we leave?' Charlie tugged on my sleeve.

'You can leave tomorrow my boy as long as you have the all clear!' Dumbledore said kindly, he must know the discrimination that Charlie would face, but he didn't know the half of it. Charlie's face brightened dramatically and his hair turned blue for a fraction of a second. I had learnt from observation that blue meant happy, red annoyed/ angry, green anxious and purple, well purple I haven't fully worked out yet.

Night fell quickly and morning came even quicker.


	9. Chapter 9

Flashback is in italics...

Charlie sat on the work top idly, he stared at his grazed knee and poked it. Charlie didn't mind the pain, his transformations were much worse...

_Charlie sat in the cellar facing his dad, his head hurt and he felt terrible. This was his first transformation and he felt physically sick from nerves. He knew it was going to hurt, dad had told him when he had asked- Remus had been very reluctant to admit it to Charlie, but he thought the boy should know the truth as opposed to a lie. He counted down the minutes, there were 12 left._

_'Charlie, trust me, you'll be fine. I've done it before tonnes of times, it'll be over by tomorrow morning!' Remus said from the darkness, desperately trying to comfort and console Charlie. The darkness engulfing them did nothing to quench his fear, it filled it and multiplied it._

_'But, it's gonna hurt so much.' Charlie whimpered._

_'Yes, but I'll be here. I'll help. Trust me cub. Please, I love you so much.' Remus said as he scooted across the floor to hug Charlie. The pair sat in silence, waiting whilst Remus hugged Charlie. _

_'Charlie Lupin, remember, no matter what happens tonight I still love you. I'm going to move over a bit so when it happens I won't hurt you. I love you, see you tomorrow.'_

_'Ok, love you daddy.' Charlie mumbled, but Remus' heightened senses picked it up. He kissed Charlie_ _and walked a few metres away._

_A shaft of moonlight spilt through the window, Charlie froze. His body was burning. It was burning. He was burning. He his head was going to explode from agony. Pain shot through him and burnt down any previous thoughts of not screaming. He screamed and screamed. His guts were moving, his bones cracking. He screamed in agony and terror, he was going to die. He wouldn't survive. This was it. He felt his body grow and his face elongate. Hair sprouted out of his sweat covered skin. Oh Merlin, sweet Merlin's baggiest y-fronts. He screamed again, until his voice broke into a howl and the pain subsided. He sniffed the air cautiously. Someone else was down here, another wolf. An older wolf. _

_His amber eyes swept around the room, they stopped when he saw another wolf with sandy hair sitting in the room, waiting. He growled weakly and the sandy haired wolf growled back, a warning, a sign that he was in charge. As this was his first transformation, the wolf was infant sized and barely had enough power to move, he stumbled on his way away from the sandy wolf and tried to hide, but to no avail, he stumbled and fell. Upon seeing this, the larger wolf walked over and picked up the little wolf by the scruff and brought him over to a corner where the large wolf proceeded to sleep._

_The little wolf was weak and knew that the sandy wolf was the alpha, he was the pack. A lonely pack, such a lonely pack that it only consisted of two._

_After two hours, he was bored. Very bored. In fact, so bored he had resorted to biting himself. He bit himself stupidly, despite the fact each bite hurt him and caused him to yip out loud. The sandy wolf put a stop to this after 4 hours after realising what he had been doing, the sandy wolf had been sleeping and had awoken to his yips. But by then the damage was done, he had cuts over him and blood was all over him, he had a deep cut down his face, the sandy wolf showed him to lick his cuts, to groom. He found this very satisfying and felt good to his sore body. The sandy wolf tried to talk to the little wolf, but as the little wolf was so small and young, he couldn't comprehend what the adult wolf was saying. He had no measure of how long he had been down here, but it was tiring and boring. _

_The little wolf took small faltering steps, the sandy wolf a few inches to the side, propping him up whenever he stumbled. The larger wolf barked something that resembled laughter._

_REMUS' POV:_

_I nudged Charlie back up, he was so cute as a cub. I watched him take a few small steps and when he fell pushed him back up again. The potion obviously hadn't worked - like I had thought it wouldn't - and had no idea who I was, it was rather cute really. After 20 minutes or so of this walking, I tried speaking to him again:_

_'Cub, how are you at the moment?'_

_All I got back was a playful bark that meant nothing and a light bite to my tail. My suspicsions were confirmed: Charlie had the mind of an infant cub._

_GENERAL POV:_

_The sandy wolf initiated him in a play fight, chasing him slowly around the dark room, nipping him when he got caught, but so not to break the skin, he had done that enough already. The atmosphere changed, the air grew still and the mood darkened. The sun was rising. He felt his bones crack back into place, his skin move and change. Charlie regained awareness. He felt the pain inside him reach breaking point. His face shortened and he scream was no longer a howl. He was left sobbing on the floor, not yet completely conscious._

_'Charlie?' a voice croaked from the darkness._

_'Yes?' he whispered 'Daddy? Is it you?'_

_'Yeah cub, it is. You don't sound so good. Are you ok? You had a rough night last night.' Remus informed him._

_'I hurt dad.' _

_'It's ok, we'll fix you up. Come on.' Remus scooped up the battered Charlie into his weakened arms and carried the almost unconscious cub up the stairs and into the kitchen, where he proceeded towards the potions cabinet and took out bandages and pain relief potions. _

_He took his first proper look at Charlie. The small boy had gashes down his body and bite marks along his arms, legs and chest. He had blood in his hair and dried on his skin. Remus watched the small boy carefully, before cleaning up the wounds and administering a pain reliever, he wrapped the wounds in the bandages and cuddled the scrap of a boy affectionately until they were both fast asleep. Charlie would have those scars for a long time Remus thought. _

Compared to that, his grazed knee was nothing Charlie thought. He looked in the mirror across from him, he still had the scar along his face, a pale slash embedded in his skin. Added to his slightly tanned, skinny complexion, Charlie looked like the average skinny lad, that just looked slightly... Slightly... Well very much really, like he had been through a few wars. His arms were almost healed from scratches after visiting Madame Pompfrey at Hogwarts with daddy after a particularly nasty full moon. Charlie looked longingly at the window. Today, Charlie hopefully should be getting his Hogwarts letter. He was desperate, he already could control his magic and was already powerful.

A different flasback:

_Charlie flicked his skinny wrist at the dirty washing in the kitchen, he had seen his daddy doing it, he could too. He pushed his magic through his wrist and hands whilst thinking the spell he had found in 'The male book of how to live in a house Vol. 1' it was scourgify. He thought with all his might and gave a flick, to his amazement when he opened his eyes, the dishes were cleaning themselves and the rubbish flying towards the bin. Charlie was ecstatic. He was magic. He knew he was, he had done accidental magic in front of dad, but this was different. This was on purpose._

_From then on, Charlie spent hours learning and mastering wandless spells and different types of magic. He could do all the spells in the Standard Book of Spells grades 1 to 5 wandless and non-verbally and he had started the grade 6 ones with words but no wand. He was an occlumens and a legilimens. He found occlumens very easy and could do it properly within a month - werewolves have natural occlumenyc anyway, it just requires building up he found. Legilimency, Charlie could do within two. At school, Charlie was top of the class and officially a genius, which Charlie quite liked. Remus helped Charlie with advanced studies, such as advanced arithmancy and ancient runes, but apart from that the only thing Remus helped Charlie with was pranks._

Charlie loved pranks and he spent many a hour planning and performing pranks. Charlie couldn't wait until his dad officially made him a Marauder, he had been longing for the sacred title ever since he heard of them. His nickname? Moony... Jr. Charlie loved it. But Remus still called him cub. Charlie didn't mind, he actually quite liked it really, it was an affectionate term, something Charlie craved. Ever since the Durselys, Charlie had loved having a dad, he had loved any show or form of affection and loved giving it to someone. A particular favourite was Remus. Charlie loved Remus, he adored him, in his eyes, Remus was the best man ever to exist- maybe apart from his mum and dad, but he had never truly met them, so he wouldn't know. Remus came out of the shower with a fluffy white towel around his waist, his hair was spiky from the wet and his eyes bright and twinkling. He grinned a crazy grin at Charlie and slipped on a t-shirt and pulled on a pair of trackies over his pants which he had pulled on under his towel. Charlie gave him a hug and a kiss and then walked back to the work top and jumped onto it, his knee forgotten.

Suddenly, Charlie heard a rap at the window and turned around to see a wide-eyed barn owl with a yellowed letter in his mouth. A Hogwarts letter. Charlie squealed and ran towards the window, where he grabbed the letter from where the owl had left it and ran his finger excitedly along the seal. He read the letter aloud to a proud and excited Remus.

"

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster : Albus Dumbledore _

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Mr. Lupin,_

_The kitchen,_

_Lupin cottage,_

_Normandy,_

_France._

_Dear Mr. Lupin,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have qualified for a place at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. However, due to your condition,_ - " Charlie's heart plummeted, he stopped reading aloud and read ahead quietly "_certain arrangements must be made-"_ Charlie felt much happier ",_ I wish for you and your father to meet me at hogwarts with professor Dumbledore for a meeting to discuss possibilities. I must inform you that your condition must be kept a secret, for both you and the headmaster's sakes.'_

Charlie looked at Remus, his face blank from emotion, Remus looked at Charlie, his face engulfed in anxiety.

'Dad...' Charlie began' I'm GOING TO HOGWARTS!' Charlie shouted, his mask broken and a joyful yet slightly wild look coming through.

'YES! Go Charlie!' Remus pinched the air before runnin over and swinging Charlie in his arms. They hugged and cried with joy for a long time until Remus decided his stomach was in need of food and they ate breakfast together, chatter filling the room.

**A/N: disclaimer: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER AND THE QUOTE FROM THE PS THAT I TOOK AND ADAPTED WAS ORIGINALLY JKR'S WORK! I TAKE NO CREDIT!**

**Sorry, but I don't want an earful from some picky person. Hahaha lol x thanks for reading.**

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	10. Chapter 10: accidental magic? riiight

''Charlie cub? Can I ask you something?'

'Yeah sure, what?'

'Well, it's just have you been doing magic? It's just the magic levels have gone up in the house and it's not me.' Charlie looked up, his face a picture of pure innocence, immediately Remus was suspicious. Charlie was a Marauder to the bone, he was in fact the only person who could near fool Remus, even James hadn't been that good! Charlie's face was the perfect blend of confusion, shock and upset to make any person think twice about accusing him - but Remus knew better. He knew that Charlie was so good at hiding his true thoughts that he would only divulge with Remus if he wasn't ashamed or embarrassed, Remus was sometimes put out by that, but then again, he was the same at his age - lycanthropy did tend to do that to you.

'A bit yeah...'

'How- what do you mean 'a bit yeah?' Remus' eyebrows raised so high they disappeared into his hair, he hadn't expected such an immediate and simple response.

'Well... I've been doing some spells and stuff... Without a wand though... And no words. How did you know the magic's up? I thought only I could do that-'

'WOW! Charlie! Cub, hold your hippogriffs! You can do wandless and non-verbal magic? What else?' Remus' eyes bulged - that he really HAD NOT expected!

'Oh, nothing really. Occlumency, legilimency...' Charlie said excitedly, his hair turning green with red and blue highlights - that boy! Remus laughed inside his head. Charlie's hair often showed his mood, it was a give away sign that only showed with true emotion as Charlie had got better and better at guarding it. Quite a few of the local muggle children who were sometimes at the park would laugh at Charlie with his hair so slowly, Charlie had gotten more controlled over it, which Remus supposed was a good thing really, it just wasn't achieved in the right way.

'Oh my- Merlin. Merlin cub! That's something else! No wonder the magic level has gone up! You're exerting magic that I'm not even sure a 10 year old turning eleven should be able to! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! YOU COULD HAVE DIED!' Remus shouted, the realisation of what Charlie said sinking in. His son could have DIED! But he hadn't, deep breaths!

' I'm sorry! I found it fun and- well you'd tell me off.' Charlie said pitifully.

'No I wouldn't! I would have just supervised! I can't believe you didn't trust me or quite frankly think that I should know that my son was doing controlled magic! I'm disappointed cub.' Remus said, his disapproval evident in his tone.

'I'm sorry! I promise I won't do it again!' Charlie said, desperately trying to hold back tears, his dad, who he thought the world revolved around, was disappointed in him and that hit home. Charlie was chasisted all the time for pranks, he was used to it to an extent, it was disappoitment that he couldn't stand, the feeling that someone you adored was upset because of you!

'I can't have you using a wand around the house, but I would appreciate and bit of help around the house now there're two able wizards around the house a bit more, you know, washing and stuff. You're grounded for a week, no flying or magic unless it's to help me or until I say you can. I'm sorry, I'm very proud of you, but you need to learn actions have consequences and your actions could have had grave consequences, but I'm not angry anymore - not that I properly was originally but still. Hug?' Remus held his arms open wide and Charlie ran into his embrace, tears had just started to spill but not because of his punishment.

'Now, I do believe we should reconsider your first year-'

Oh. Will I still be able to go to Hogwarts? Please say I can! Please!' Charlie said, his face turning white.

'Of COURSE! Of course you can you silly cub! We need to get you a year placement though. First year may be a bit beneath your level. I'm not sure though...' Remus scratched his chin.

'Oh ok. Well shall I show you some stuff I can do?' Remus nodded at Charlie, Charlie flicked his wrist and Remus' hair turned bright blue!

'Ah, that looks better than I thought it would daddy,' Charlie giggled.

'Charlie James Remus Lupin! What have you DONE?!' Remus shouted in amusement and ran off to find a mirror. A few seconds later a bark of laughter sounded out and Remus came back. That boy was good! Not only had he changed his hair colour, but done it so that Remus coudln't change it - not that he really wanted to, it was cool!

'I think it looks good, thanks cub!' he said mockingly and ran his hand through his hair 'I shall keep it for a day as a treat for your newly found out by me magic!'

'Daddy?' Charlie whispered.

'Yeah cub?'

'Can we go to Hogwarts together?'

'Why? What's up cub?'

'It's just my- problem may be difficult and I want you there to help.'

Remus stared long and hard at Charlie, his brain ticking over with the numerous possibilities. He had been offered the DADA job for September and he still could say yes. He pondered in his thoughts until Charlie's wandless sparks broke his trance. His eyes flickered to the clock, he had been out for 3 minutes.

'Er... Yes? Sorry, I zoned out there...'

'Yeah' Charlie snickered 'You did rather!'

'Oi! My zoning out is not a problem!' Remus said in mock defence.

'Sorry father, I shall be seen and not heard.' Charlie said in fake poshness, his eyes glinting mischievously.

'That's it, you- you- you FURRY FIEND!' Remus growled playfully and jumped on a surprised yet amused Charlie, pinning him down and tickling him.

'I beg for mercy dad! I beg for mercy! HAHAHA! Please stop!' Charlie laughed, tears streaming down his face. Remus retracted his tickling hands and half sat on Charlie, leaving Charlie on the floor. Charlie, seizing the opportunity, performed a wandless feather light charm and pushed Remus off before grabbing a cushion and hitting him on the stomach playfully.

'Ah cub, you are getting too good!' Remus said, pulling Charlie into a hug.

Charlie walked down the long corridor of Lupin cottage slowly, he store outside a door with a large rusted handle, lions engraved on the knob. He opened the door slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. This room was normally locked and Charlie took that it was off limits, however, his mischievous side was coming through and so he walked through the door way into a unlit room. He cupped his hand and cast a lumos ball, he looked around the room.

Charlie gazed around the seemingly empty room, he was at a loss of why the door was normally locked. Until he saw the slash marks on the walls, deep, painful looking slashes with dried blood dispersed between. He knew what this room was. This was the room daddy used to change in. He walked into the room a bit further and reached his badly scarred hand out, he ran his small fingers down the gaping holes in the wall. He shuddered, was he like this when he transformed?! No... Daddy said he was still a toddler when he transformed... A very cute on at that. Charlie slowly backed out of the room and locked it, he looked up and down the hall and ran down the stairs. Charlie knew that dad had been hiding it for a reason, he knew that his dad wouldn't like him knowing, but at the same time, Charlie sort of hoped dad would open up about it.

_REMUS' POV:_

_The little wolf walked shakily over to me, obviously the potion hadn't started working yet. I knocked cub back onto his feet as he fell, it was rather sweet really, I never would have thought I would look after such a small thing anyway, he was minuscule! It's no wonder he falls over all the time! Who wouldn't at that size? _

_As cub walked over to the water, I watched him. His fur was getting lighter, more... sandy. Like me. Maybe, because I bit him he has some of my traits as well as the blood adoption. _

_I chuckled in my head at this realisation. Cub had drunk some water and curled up into a tiny ball and fallen asleep, I walked over and lay down next to him, encompassing him in my fur and warmth. I woke up a few hours later when cub was nudging me with his nose, he whimpered and when I cleared my eyes from sleep I noticed he had a scratches and cuts over him along with bite marks... Stupid cub! I sat up and went on to clean him and check him for any other problems. He was fine apart from the already made cuts and bites. He had a large gash down his face and bite marks down his chest, that wolf really did know how to beat himself up! Morning came, I was reluctant to become human?! I was dumbstruck at the very idea! Yeah, I liked looking after cub Charlie, but staying a wolf?! Really?! I laughed... Until the sun came up. Then I screamed with pain._

Even now, Charlie was still only a 'toddler' as a wolf, he was not getting much bigger until he came of age or found a partner. Remus watched Charlie as he walked into the sitting room, flopped onto the cream leather settee, picked up broom monthly started flicking through the pages happily. He picked up a pen and started circling various items in the magazine, his eyes glanced up at Remus, his eyes curious and inquisitive. Remus looked back, wondering why Charlie was looking at him in such a way. Then he realised, Charlie most likely was hearing Remus' thoughts- one of his newly found talents- and thinking about the incident in the basement that he had no recollection of. Remus chuckled when he saw Charlie's face become more relaxed and focus back into his reading.

Remus started reading his book again- 'Fantastical Beasts and Where To Find Them' - to work out how to tackle a vicious gnome problem in the back garden. He knew the basics about confusing them and such, but Remus was more interested in prevention. But so far to no avail. Remus' eyes flickered up to the clock, they had 25 minutes until they were meeting Dumbledore to discuss the solution to Charlie's lycanthropy.

'Cub, we have to get ready to go now. Try and control that hair of yours, please! ' Remus joked.

'Yeah sure dad. I'll fetch my stuff and do you think I should change into robes?'

'I think smart jeans and a polo shirt should be absolutely fine. Just look- presentable.'

'Right. Well... Easier said than done!' Charlie laughed as he walked up the stairs.

Remus contemplated his son's hair, and general appearance really: he had light brown hair, tanned skin, a tall but slim build and startlingly emerald green eyes. In comparison to when Charlie first arrived, he looked more like he could be Remus' son, well technically he was due to the blood adoption. Charlie looked pretty much a younger, taller, more tanned version Remus, with a select James traits, that thought made Remus cringe, he knew that Charlie was his son now, but he couldn't help but feel that maybe James would be a bit disappointed that his son didn't look like him? Well, personality wise, he was practically identical just liked to study a tad more, not that Charlie really needed to anymore! Remus was broken from his monologue by Charlie bounding down the stairs two at a time before coming to a sudden stop on the bottom step and then proceeding to jump off onto the floor. Remus sighed in amusement. Had he been this... Eccentric and bouncy at that age? Probably.

'Dad? I've got my stuff! Are we going?' Charlie asked, sticking his head round the door frame.

'Yeah, let's go! We're going by floo to 'Professor Dumbledore's office' ok?'

'Yeah sure! ALLONSY!' Charlie said loudly.

'What-' Remus shook his head in bemused confusion 'Anyway, you first, let's go!'

Charlie stepped in the green flames and was gone a second later, shortly followed by Remus.

'Ah, Remus, Charlie, sherbet lemon?'

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE!**


	11. Chapter 11: meetings galore

'Ah, Remus, Charlie, sherbet lemon?'

'Er... No thank you sir?' Charlie practically asked, anticipating him being annoyed at his refusal.

'No thanks professor. Charlie, this is Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster.'

'So, Mr. Lupin, and Remus, I am sure you are aware of why you are here.' Remus and Charlie nodded in ascent 'Well, it seems that once a month, Charlie shall meet you Remus in hogsmeade and you shall both go to the shrieking shack, where you shall transform. You shall then stay overnight and when you are recovered, Charlie shall come back and the cycle will repeat. However, there is one issue. The issue is that the ghosts in the shack have been silent for a while, and whilst the staff know its old secret and some it's current, the students don't. So under no circumstances must you tell any.

That is all really. I am sure Remus knows how to get there.' Remus flashed the headmaster a grin and put a protective arm around Charlie.

'Ok, so daddy will be with me the whole time?' Charlie said, almost inaudibly.

'Yes, he shall. I'm sorry I must fly, Minister Fudge is on my case, any other questions?'

'Yes, just one:' Remus asked 'Please can Charlie have a placement test for his year? It's just that he seems to have done a lot of advanced magic and I think that he may be advanced for this year.' Dumbledore's face had a look of shock on it, though that passed quickly as he tried to process what was happening- there was a boy with a grasp on magic possibly like Tom Riddle? What if he-? No, that was unthinkable! But the possibilities were endless! And who knew what this boy knew exactly?

'Oh yes, of course! What a surprise! Yes, I shall contact Minerva and we shall get you a visit sometime today or tomorrow, is that agreeable?' Remus nodded and Charlie replied in ascent.

'Good, well I must fly! Toodle pip!' and with that the headmaster stood up, showed them the fireplace and they flooed away leaving a worried Albus behind.

'Daddy, what do I look like as a werewolf?' Charlie asked quietly.

'Well... You're very small, with light brown hair and green eyes. You fall about a lot and find it hard to walk properly, I often have to help. But it's no worry, it's quite nice looking after such a young cub.' Remus smiled, Charlie was very open about his lycanthropy to Remus, something that Remus hadn't had when he was growing up, there was no one for him to sympathise with and no one to stmpathise for him. In a way, this was probably all for the best, who knew what could have happened? His mother was scared enough as it was, at least his father was nice.

'Oh alright... will I ever grow up?'

'Well... You will, probably when you're about 15, 16? About then. But until then, you are my tiny, adorable cub!'

Charlie grinned and stood up and sat on Remus' lap and hugged him, Remus ruffled his messy hair and rested his chin on Charlie's head. Remus thought about the events of the past few years in his head: finding and taking Charlie home, home schooling him, Charlie becoming a lycanthrope, finding out about his magic, the Hogwarts letter and if not the most important, living with Charlie as a loving, though slightly odd, family. Remus sat in thoughtful silence, predicting a happy future, where Charlie could have a family and have a loving wife, who didn't care about his condition that it stopped their relationship. All those things that would be difficult.

But one thing Remus knew Charlie could do: be a powerful wizard. Charlie had powers that, Remus felt, rivaled his and possibly Dumbledore's power. Especially at this age anyway. A tall, tawny owl pecked on the window, breaking Remus' train of thought. He stood up and retrieved the letter from the owl who stood there waiting for a reply, Remus read through the letter and scribbled a reply before sending back the owl, message in tow.

'Daddy? What was that owl wanting?' Charlie asked.

'It was from Professor McGonagall, she is requesting a visit at six today to assess your knowledge and skill. I said that would be fine, is that alright with you? I know you must be nervous, but don't worry! Just do what you do best, which is magic among other things.'

'Awesome! Dad? How good am I really? Because I know that I can do stuff for 5th years, but I don't know how good I actually am.' Charlie inquired.

'Well, you are far above first and second year spell wise, and probably in other subjects too, but that is yet to be determined. I think you possiblyOWLlevel Remus said, almost like he was speaking to himself, saying his thoughts aloud.

'Cool, oh look at this dad! It's well cool!' Charlie held out his hand and a book flew into his hand from upstairs 'The prankers book of pranks! It's so fun!' Charlie passed over the book to a wide eyed Remus, who was contemplating the magic he had seen and the fact that Charlie had that book! He had lost that in a room in the house somewhere.

'Where did you find this cub?' Remus said, his voice high and confused?

'In a room upstairs I found... It looked fun so I took it.' Charlie said nervously, putting up his occlumency shields.

'Ah right. Charlie which room was this?'

'The one that's normally locked.' Charlie whispered.

'Ah, cub! You knew that room was locked for a reason! Why would you not do as I told you and not go in? You knew this Charlie!' Remus fumed, he was usually this up tight about rule breaking but Charlie had broken a ground rule and he knew what the consequences were for doing that.

'I'm sorry daddy. It was unlocked and-' Charlie fell silent.

'Charlie, I'm sorry, but what you did was irresponsible and disobedient. I'll give you a choice: either you get smacked OR you get grounded. I don't mind, but you must do one.' Remus stated.

'A smack...' Charlie whispered.

'Alright, over here...'

Charlie rubbed his bum, it still hurt from his smacks. They weren't hard smacks, but Charlie still felt the sting. He walked up the wooden stairs to his room, he opened the creaking door and walked in, his eyes flicked to the lunar phase chart on the wall, 5 days until the full moon and there were 2 in one month, there would be a blue moon. Charlie could feel himself getting weaker and more tired, he sighed. Life was so good until the full moon.

He flopped onto his bed and picked up a blue magazine with a shiny, wooden broom on the front- the Nimbus 2000- and started to casually flick through the pages, eyeing the latest broom wear and kits. A cry from downstairs broke Charlie from his magazine, he threw it down and ran down the stairs. He bounded towards the kitchen, inside was a tabby cat and his dad, he looked for the source of the noise, there was no apparent danger or disturbance. The cat stood still, watching Charlie with golden, round eyes. Charlie looked nervously at his dad, the cat was unnaturally still and quiet, Charlie decided that this was no normal cat. He opened his magic sense and felt for magical beings. There were three, two wizards himself included and a witch. The cat was a witch, an animagus.

'Dad, Professor McGonagall.' he said curtly, slightly inclining his head in greeting.

Remus gave Charlie wide eyes, he stood there frozen for a few seconds until he opened his mouth and said : 'Yes... Yes it is. How did- how did you- know?' he stuttered.

'You can tell. You feel another magical core, and I then felt that the cat was in fact a witch. Therefore, animagus and why would there be an illegal animagus sitting on our table if not to show me advanced magic? Cat animagi in the last century: Professor Minerva McGonagall. It's easy... Well for me anyway...' Charlie explained very matter of factly.

'Oh. Oh right. We shall have to test that theory... Interesting...' Remus mumbled. Just then the cat shifted into a elderly woman with green robes, brown hair tied in a tight bun and a stern yet intrigued expression. Charlie guessed this was Professor McGonagall from Hogwarts.

'I have never experienced a person who could do that yet Mr. Lupin, perhaps we could discuss this... Skill, later? I am also very impressed by your deductive skills. But now we must test your magical abilities. We shall start in first year transfiguration, charms and DADA and then move through the years until we find the right one. Ok, firstly, perform the charm for levitation please.'

Charlie waved his hand causing a mug to float and then fall softly back to the table top, McGonagall stood still, almost expectant that something else should happen until Remus broke the silence by clearing his throat.

'That was very good Mr Lupin, let's see you change a matchstick into a needle now. Remus, do you have a matchstick available?' the Professor asked.

'No need Professor,' Charlie said as he conjured a matchstick and placed it on the table before transfiguring it into a sharp, shiny needle.

'Well... That was very good again Mr Lupin. It seems you are ahead in the first year. We shall do some more spells and charms now. Let's see... A disarming spell,' this carried on until they reached fifth year material- all done successfully - until McGonagall said:

'Mr. Lupin, it seems that you are well in advance of first year standards. I suggest we place you in third year classes with harder work. I understand that you already know the syllabus, but I feel that an eleven year old would just stand out too much with fourteen and fifteen year olds, less so with thirteen and fourteen year olds. However, you shall stay in the third year dormitories and do third year socials- for example: broom rides and parties. You will be allowed on the quidditch team if you qualify, and shall be able to go into Hogsmeade with your father only! We shall arrange advanced classes for you after each school day and you shall be set homework accordingly, you shall only receive homework in the subjects that you are not in an advanced class for and shall take the advance class homework instead. I know this is a lot to take in, ' Remus nodded violently 'but I deem this necessary for you to be the best you can. Oh and with your- problem, I'm sure we can excuse you for a few days a month. Any questions Misters Lupin?'

'Yes,' Remus said 'what shall Charlie's class mates be told about his absences? They won't go unnoticed!' McGonagall sat in thoughtful silence for what seemed forever.

'I suppose... We shall say that he takes extra activities with you that require an over night stay, or that he visits relations? Either is plausible.' she said.

'Daddy, I think the extra activities is more believable and kind of true. The full moon is very active and it's with you. Also, with relatives, you don't visit them every 28 days.' Charlie supplied.

'Yes, I agree with Charlie Professor. He shall take extra activities with me to... Increase his... Physical strength and experience. Probably. Charlie, don't tell anyone unless they ask you! There is no point telling them lies unnecessarily.' Remus gave Charlie 'the look'.

'Yes dad.' Charlie said wearily, he had heard this many times before. Remus pulled Charlie into a hug and kissed his messy, brown hair.

'Well, now that is settled, I must be going, thank you for having me round Remus and Charlie, I shall see you at Hogwarts.' McGonagall said in a happy, confident way, almost like she was very much looking forward to seeing Charlie again.

Remus, cup of steamy tea in hand, sat down at the wooden kitchen table, his mind whirling, his eyes drooping and his hands uncomfortably hot. Charlie was at Nev's and the house was quiet. Remus looked at the calendar hanging on the light blue walls, it was a Monday, the full moon tomorrow, Tuesday. He did a double take, not only was there that full moon, there was another one that same page, a blue moon, Remus sighed, that meant TWO transformations in a month. As if one wasn't enough?

An hour and a half later, Remus heard a loud knock at the door, he flinched, his senses were heightened and every sound was magnified and hurt his ears, but he walked towards the door anyway. When he opened it, he saw a grinning, but tired, Charlie gazing up at him. Behind Charlie were Neville and his grandmother, smiling.

Remus pulled Charlie into a hug and greeted him and then turned his attention to Mrs. Longbottom and the usual formalities took place, after which, Mrs. Longbottom and Neville apparated away. In the mean time, Charlie had been standing a little behind Remus, his arms wrapped around Remus' skinny waist, and a picture of abject tiredness. Remus sighed again, he seemed to be doing that a lot recently, the full moon had been taking its toll on Charlie, possibly more so than himself. He led Charlie into his bedroom, changed him into his black with moving broomsticks pyjamas, helped him brush his teeth and tucked him into bed. When he opened the door to check on Charlie ten minutes later, he heard gentle snores coming from the dark, he smiled, clicked the door shut and went back downstairs. All was well.

**READ AND REVIEW! :D**


	12. Chapter 12: blue moon

Remus and Charlie sat on the floor in the dark basement, the cold was nippy and the light dim. Remus felt something different in the air, the atmosphere was different, different from the usual full moons. He guessed Charlie felt it too, as when he looked at Charlie, his eyes were no longer a normal green, they were a glowing amber with large, dilute pupils. Remus shuddered, but not only at Charlie's strange eyes, the full moon was rising. When the first beam of moonlight struck them, Remus convulsed in discomfort that grew into searing agony, when the second beam hit, he heard screams in the air and his joined to mingle. His body was on fire, his limbs scorched and his mind burning. He felt his skin shake and hair start to grow all over, his bones cracked and reset painfully, but the worst was not done yet. Remus' body wracked in pain and fire, he felt his wolf side come out and his breathing became laboured and strenuous. His screams broke into a howl. He had transformed.

But screams still filled the basement. They weren't his screams and no one else was there apart from Charlie. He stared at the source of the noise: crouched in torturous pain was a young boy with brown hair, Charlie. Questions flew through Remus' human mind: Why hadn't he finished transforming yet? What was taking so long? Was Charlie ok? Should he help? Remus stopped and ran the things that made this moon special: it was a blue moon month, Charlie hadn't had a full moon since he got into hogwarts. No, that wasn't it. It was because of the blue moon. After what seemed like hours to Remus, Charlie stopped screaming and fell silent.

Remus' heart stopped beating. Was Charlie ok? Was Charlie alive? He looked over towards him, Charlie was alive and it seemed he had still yet to transform fully. Then with one final scream, Charlie transformed.

In his place was a little, brown wolf cub. Remus sighed in relief, Charlie was fine, it had just taken... A lot longer than usual.

The usual events happened that night: Remus helped Charlie to remember how to walk, which Remus still had to remember not to laugh at, they played chase and they 'wrestled'. Wrestling was very fun for the cub, he got to try his minute strength and often 'beat' Remus. Remus nearly always let the cub win, but often when the little wolf got too boisterous, Remus would pin him down lightly as possible and lightly bit his neck to show his leadership.

When the morning transformation came, it was oddly quiet. Only Remus' screams had filled the air. He looked around in weary confusion, he couldn't see Charlie in the room. When he looked harder, his eyes fell on a small, whisp of a wolf cub in the corner of the room, fast asleep.

Remus sat bolt upright and ran to the bookshelf, which woke up the cub, who started to growl menacingly, his hackles raised, Remus' eyes fixed on 'The Inner Wolf: a guide', he ripped it off the bookshelf and hurriedly turned to the index, he ran his finger down the page until he found what he was looking for : Blue Moon, pg. 394. He rushed through the book, his eyes searching desperately for the page. When he eventually found it, his worst fears were confirmed:

"_ On a cub's first blue moon, they will stay in their wolf state until the full moon rises for the second time in the month. They may have a wolf cub state of mind, but shall not be dangerous to their sire- the werewolf who turned them. The cub shall know their sire after meeting them in their human form HOWEVER: a word of caution, even though it will not be the full moon, the cub shall still be infectious to those it bites, whilst this is not a problem for werewolves, it shall present difficulties to humans. _

The_ feeding habits of the cub shall be similar to those of a child in the feeding times, but shall require meat and other wolf diet food. This should not be a problem if it is-_ " Remus stopped reading.

Remus backed away slowly as the cub came towards him, its hackles were raised and it let out a warning growl. Slowly, the cub walked faultingly towards him, stumbling comically every few metres, it sniffed the air deeply and then went close towards Remus and sniffed his hand. Remus sat absolutely still, his eyes were scrunched up in fear and confusion of what was happening. The cub's wet tongue licked his hand softly and then pounced. Remus fell over in surprise as a bundle of fur landed into his lap and proceeded to rub his face against his bare chest. He unscrunched his eyes and stared in amazement that the WEREWOLF cub was curled up in his lap. He slowly extended his hand to the cub, which made the cub's head turn quickly in panic but after seeing or smelling it was him, returned to nuzzling him, and scratched the cub behind the ears.

They sat like that until Remus' stomach grumbled, which made the cub jump comically into the air and run madly to the corner, growling, and Remus proceeded to open the door and start to walk up the stairs, only to have a light brown furry bullet fly past him to the top of the stairs. Remus chuckled and when he reached the cub, he picked him up and carried him to the kitchen. When Remus reached the kitchen, the cub was squirming so much that Remus almost dropped him onto the tiled floor. The furry bullet took a few small, faltering steps forwards until he fell over. It seemed that his walking capabilities came and went as they pleased, which Remus found rather amusing, he scooped up the cub and took him over to the corner of the kitchen, where two ceramic bowls sat, one containing water, the other containing meat. Remus set the cub down and it proceeded to lap the clear water up rapidly before moving onto the meat, Remus refilled the bowls and then proceeded to make his own breakfast - buttered toast and marmalade- and drink from his mug of tea - 'BEWARE: dark creature - may be tamed by tea' printed in white on the black mug. After a few minutes, the cub slowly meandered over to Remus and curled around his sock covered foot, its warmth making Remus' foot feel like it was in a sauna. Remus grinned and placed his worn hand under the cub's soft underbelly and picked it up.

I should really name it something, furball? furry bullet? Moony Jr.? Lupus? he thought. The list went on, soon Remus found himself writing down ,lists of names, when he came to terms with what he was doing, he let out a bark of laughter and pulled the cub in for a hug, to his surprise, the fun burrowed his face into his shirt and then proceeded to fall asleep. Life was good, strange, but good.

**A/N: Well! Another chapter out! :D Going to start doing a poll on Charlie's house... I'm thinking Slytherin or Gryffindor? Or an 'league of his own'? ;)**

**Thanks for reading! R&R!**


	13. Chapter 13: life goes on

Minor twilight bashing

It had been a three short weeks since Remus had woken up from his transformation to find a wolf cub in the basement, instead of Charlie. The furry bullet, as Remus called him jokingly, had grown an inch and could now walk properly, which was a vast improvement from a week and a half ago:

_A minute, golden brown wolf cub lay by a roaring orange fire, its green eyes concealed by their weary lids. Remus sat on the cream settee in front of the fire contentedly, his eyes subconsciously fixed on the wolf cub. The corners of his lips twitched upwards before returning to their normal residence. The cub sat up shakily and cocked his head at Remus, recognised his scent and then walked slowly and carefully over to him, he reached a metre away before stumbling, only to be caught by Remus, who decided that they should both be going to bed as it was getting later on in the evening. Remus held the cub to his chest and stood up, little did he know that the cub was calmly listening to his heart beat for reassurance and in affection. Whilst being carried up the stairs, the cub let out a large yawn and fell into a peaceful slumber, to his carer's amusement. Remus chuckled and proceeded to carefully place the cub at the end of his bed before slipping into his blue stripey pyjamas and into bed._

_The next morning when Remus awoke, he felt a warm weight on his chest, when he looked down, he recieved a faceful of brown fur. He sat up and, to the bullet's upset, rolled the bullet off his onto the bed. The bullet let out a playful growl and bounced towards Remus before engaging him in a large, amusing take out. Remus sighed happily, got out of his mahogany bed, laid the green covers straight and moved towards the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and had a shower before going to the kitchen to make_ breakfast.

_When he reached the kitchen, he found cub on the tiled floor, his tail wagging and looking at Remus expectantly, when Remus filled his dish with meat, he jumped up at him and then ran over to the dish and quite literally wolfed it down -if you'll pardon the pun. He then went towards Remus and sat next to his chair, not pestering him, just waiting for him to finish, so Remus could let him out and he could play in the surrounding woodland. Remus continued eating his muesli, however, there was one thing on his mind: could it be possible that Charlie's mind was in there somewhere, still acting and controlling, but not out right dominant? This was not typical wolf behaviour, especially not in a cub, but still possible. Remus pushed the thought out of his mind, finished his muesli, walked over to the back door, cub in tow, opened it and let the wolf cub run out. The cub made five metres before it fell over face first. Remus shook his head and walked back into the house. He had set up wards that prohibited the cub from leaving and he knew the cub was too small and young to go far. When the cub returned after half an hour, Remus initiated him in a wrestle- which the cub won twice and Remus once- before levitating him when he wasn't concentrating, this Remus found particularly funny as the cub gave a bark of indignation and then tried to chase him which the cub shortly realised wouldn't work. This trick amused Remus for quite a while._

Now, Remus was certain that Charlie had retained some of his extremely advanced mind due to a series of unlikely events:

Firstly, when the cub woke up from what seemed to be a nightmare, he ran straight to Remus and hid under the covers until Remus fished him out and rocked him back to sleep. Secondly, Nev came round with his grandmother to drop an invitation round and the cub initiated him in light , no-teeth play to the group's surprise. Nev was more shocked that Remus owned a playful wolf!

And finally, when Remus called Charlie out in a moment of confusion, the cub came bounding up to him and curled around his feet. This was the thing that Remus felt proved his theory.

Remus had officially dubbed the cub Lupus and was planning to surprise Charlie after the full moon with enrolement into the Marauders. Remus grinned at nothing in particular, Lupus saw this and cocked his furry brown head, Remus shrugged whilst smirking and the cub have him a'Yeah, yeah, whatever.' look. Remus growled playfully before scooping up cub and sticking him in a head lock and scuffling his head. To which Lupus growled at before nipping Remus in the upper arm but as not to break the skin.

_Remus sat on the sofa wearily, work had been difficult today: some random person had told him that he should go join Sirius in Azkaban - he wasn't sure why this person had brought up what had happened ages ago, almost ten years! It wasn't as if he had met the man before, but he was used to prejudice. Then he had been told that he had to make sure that he was at the top of the employees or he was sure to go, it was ignored that he was one of the best accountants at the agency, naturally. And now he was absolutely exhausted, but a furry wolf licking his face with its little tongue was a perk._

It was the day of the full moon, Lupus was restless and agitated, no doubt to do with his up and coming transformation Remus thought.

'Come on cub, let's get you some food and then we can relax and do stuff. I don't mind really, we can go for a run about outside? Or wrestle. You choose. Go outside?' the cub nodded and barked 'Off we go! ALLONSY! As you would say!' and with that he opened the door and they bolted outside into the woodland.

CHARLIE/CUB POV:

I ran along a thin, dusty path into the undergrowth, my paws pounded the hard, lifeless ground. I sped around a corner into the thicket, I bounded under bushes, jumped over fallen trees and chased animals. I stopped and sniffed the air... Rabbit. I crouched and sent my probing ear upwards, twitching when I heard a sound. A twig cracked, I flicked my head around so fast I got a crick in my neck. There it was, a little grey rabbit, with tall alert ears and a twitching nose. It could smell me, but I was too fast. I pounced and brought down the rabbit in one spinal cord severing bite, its head was bent back on its body, its eyes rolled back, blank, glass like, dead. I inwardly shuddered as my human side recoiled at what I had done and what I was going to do, whilst my wolf side yipped with glee and was eager to eat its prey. I let my wolf side take control and I devoured the rabbit until it was no more than a bare backbone and rib cage with a loose skull nearby. I fidgeted. I was unoccupied, lost in nothingness and bored. Then I heard dad call out, I bounded towards him and when I saw him crouched down, I leaped into his arms and nuzzled my face against him. I was restless, but my daddy always helped.

Evening grew closer and soon the sun had started to set, dusk had fallen. I followed dad into the open basement and watched as he bolted the doors, I noticed how pale an haggard he looked, he looked seriously ill! Did I look like that too before I transformed? I must do, I am the same as him. The air thickened and I exhaled rapidly, it was coming. I watched daddy in the corner, my eyes wide with fear and longing. What was going to happen? What would I see and hear? I shivered as the first moon beam fell through the window and then I froze, dad was shaking violently. His face was screwed up in pain, his hands were clenched and his body scrunched up like he had been kicked. He had been kicked, he was being kicked inside as every second passed. I stood there waiting my eyes fixed on him as he changed, he started to scream, long inhuman screams that filled the room, echoing around the black walls. He screams subsided as they turned into howls. I heard his bones crack and reform. I saw the hair sprout out of his normally tanned skin. He had almost changed, with one final screaming howl, I saw his bright blue eyes dull as amber crept in from the already dilated pupils, he let out one final scream and the change was complete. Did I really go through all that every full moon? Blimey, it's no wonder I have all these scars! I felt my wolf mind creep further and further into my human mind, all my occlumency couldn't block it, I tried to force it back, I pushed back. The wolf side was wild and untameable. It crept into my mind and with a final cry of 'I love you daddy.' I let it in.

I stared out into the darkened room. In the corner stood a weak, semi-conscious wolf, I walked over, sniffing the bitter air as I went. I knew who it was. It was my sire. My pack. My challenger. I knew that I was still too small to do anything to change this, so I walked over hesitantly and nudged him. In return, I was stared at by knowing amber eyes. Knowing of what, I was yet to find out.

The larger wolf walked into the centre of the room, sniffing the air as he moved. I followed him intently, shadowing his every move, he realised this and looked at me again, looking right into my heart. He howled something at me that I couldn't fully understand: 'I...Cub...Let's go.' so I followed him some more. When we reached the second room, I initiated him in some wrestling and play fighting, which he won nearly all of them.

Eventually, the night started to come to an end and I fell to sleep alongside the older wolf. What seemed like a few seconds later, I awoke. However, to my displeasure, the other wolf -Moony I think he said- wasn't. So I resorted to my favourite time wasting activity: biting and scratching myself. I scratched and bit myself until I was bleeding so badly that the older wolf woke up from not only my yips and howls, but the fact that he had rolled into some of my blood. Not nice. Not nice at all.

_I got a dirty look for that._

Soon, the moon fell lower and lower into the sky, dawn broke.

Pain hit me like it never had before.

It was like someone had torn me apart whilst I was still awake, like someone had run me over with a train... Like someone had forced me to watch twilight.

The pain ripped me to pieces, engulfing me in endless pain. It seemed like hours. Hours of screaming. Burning. Bleeding. Blackness. Torture. I don't know how long the torment lasted, it seemed like I had been stuck there in the red pain, I refused to enter the white emptiness. The void. I knew that it meant one thing: death. That one thing was the only thing that stopped me from entering the white bliss, the knowing that I would never see dad until he died- which I hoped wouldn't be for a while. It was that love for him that kept me here, in the pain. I know it seems all like something Dumbledore would say, but it's true. Love kept me going.

Besides. I'm too young to die.

REMUS' POV:

I sat in the morning sunlight panting, the air stuttering as it entered and exited my lungs. Exhaustion was settling in, no more could the adrenalin keep me up. Until I heard something. Charlie screaming. That meant one thing: he was back to normal. It also meant another thing; he was in extreme pain. I dragged myself over to be next to him, holding his almost human body in my arms, he couldn't do anything to me. He was almost human, he only had to make the final effort to expel the wolf and reset his bones and he was back. Back to his dad. I couldn't wait. His breathing was laboured, he really was going through torment, I held him closer, I felt his body stiffen and shake before a crack resounded and half amber, half bluey green eyes stared up at me.

'Dad?' he croaked.

'Oh cub! I've missed you. I've missed you so much. I love you son!' I whispered into his hair. I took one final look as his pupils diluted and then suddenly contracted and all the amber was gone, leaving the greeny blue I loved so much.

'Let's go son, we have some business to catch up on!'

A/N: thanks for reading, I need ideas for which house to stick Charlie into! Slytherin or Gryffindor? He's not a Hufflepuff and he's too courageous and brave for a Ravenclaw... Maybe a different new house? Hmmm... I wonder...

Anyways thanks for reading please comment and promo me please! Xx


	14. Chapter 14: Thank Merlin I've returned!

'Dad? What happened? It's just one minute I was a normal and then I was a wolf for a very long time and now I'm human. Well sorta anyway...' Charlie trailed off.

'Well from what I understand, the blue moon affected your transformation and because you haven't mated yet or hit pu- er... Grown up in other respects, you were affected by the double moon in the month. It's something to do with your body not being strong enough to cope with the wolf and its need for growth. I never had it... But I had mated before one came round. I just felt really rough the whole month.' Remus supplied.

'Well, I was just thinking, I dunno... Just I don't want it to happen again... With Hogwarts and all...'

'Hey cub, don't worry! It won't! The next blue moon is years away! And you will have found a mate by then! I'm sure you will!' Remus said confidently.

'Dad? Well... Who was your mate? If you don't mind saying?' Charlie blushed.

'Oh! Oh! Erm... Well it was... Well not so much a mate... More a close female friend... It was... Er- it was your mum.' Remus cringed and took a sudden interest in his shoes, ' Well when she found out about my... Problem. She was so kind and understanding and I just felt something click inside. Like a connection. But we never seriously romantically went out or anything. It was just...'

_'Remus?' a soft voice from behind Remus startled him, his eyes snapped up from his book on spells he was reading, he span around and saw a pair of startlingly green eyes staring at him, _

_'Lily, hello. Erm, hi, what do you want?' he said nervously, his eyes flicked towards the door. _

_'Remus, here's the thing: I think you're hiding something from us, I think it's something big. I know for a fact that you don't just disappear to visit your sick mother every 28 days. Every full moon I might add.' Remus paled, his eyes bulged and he slammed his hand to her open mouth._

_'Not here!' he spat, he released her mouth, 'Sorry, but no one can know. Only James, Sirius and Peter know along with Madame Pompfrey and old Dumbles. I would be thrown from the school from the parent! So how did you find out? Deduction? Moon charts? Stalking me?' Lily let out a giggle. _

_'No stupid! Only one of those is right! Stalking of course!' she exclaimed at Remus' confusion, 'Nah, I worked it out from the pattern of days you missed and the fact you look pretty rotten and ill afterwards. So deduction and moon charts.' Remus grinned. _

_'Lily, do you- mind? That I'm not human.' he said slowly. _

_'Yes! Of course I mind!' with that simple statement Remus felt like crying, he really liked Lily and her rejection- ' Whoever told you that you aren't human? You are sweet and kind and gentle and one of the nicest men I have ever met! You are human. Possibly too good to be human! ' she smiled warmly and kissed his cheek, to Remus' embarrassment and utter relief - how could he have been so stupid?! 'But seriously, no I don't. You can't change who you are and why should I change my opinion?' _

_Remus grinned and pulled Lily into a hug, only to have James walk through the door._

'Ok. Well if it turns out you actually are my dad, let me know.' Charlie grinned.

'I am your dad Charlie, I am your dad where it truly matters and don't forget it.' Remus said softly, his voice full of conviction and love.

'I love you dad, I really do.'

'I love you so much cub that I didn't think it was possible.' Remus smiled.

'Anyway. What did I miss whilst I was stuck?' Charlie picked up the conversation.

'Well, McGonagall sent through your letter with your updated third year books, instead of your first year ones, but she said have the first two year one's anyway. But as you won't be using them and they're are the same as my old ones, could you possibly use mine? I don't mind but it saves us a bit of money that we can spend on other stuff, like a holiday perhaps?' Remus suggested.

'Yeah that's fine! I memorised them anyway. After that I did all the spells...'

_Charlie sat a his desk, he traced a split in the wood with his long finger, stopping and changing direction occasionally. He sighed and glanced at the slightly ajar door, he really wanted to move on with his magic, but couldn't risk getting caught. What if his dad shouted at him for doing it? He didn't like that idea. Slowly he stood up, pushing the chair back and walking slowly across the creaky wooden panels towards the door. He reached out his hand and slowly and carefully shut the door with a soft click. He then moved back towards the desk and sat down, slipping his hand into a hidden compartment in the top of the desk, he pulled out a spells book, the standard book of spells, grade 2. Charlie brushed the pages with his fingers, trying to recall the page he left off on. Page 254. He flipped the pages over slowly until he reached the page, the page read ' Making and Containing Fire'. Charlie grinned, this was one of his favourite tricks, he cupped his hands and a ball of blue fire appeared. He then split the ball into two and changed one of the ball's colour to orange and red. He knew roughly what he did, but the spell was necessary and the wand movement but due to his lack of wand, he used a good sized stick from the back garden._

_He read the passage slowly and carefully- something he happened to do a lot- and reread the passage before doing the spell -flagrente- with his hands. The crackling ball of flame tickled his hands, he felt warm and soft but his head screamed 'GET AWAY FROM THE FLAME!' but Charlie knew he was in control. He heard someone coming up the stairs! He cast a wandless and wordless silence charm, stuffed the book hastily into the desk and pulled a which broom? magazine towards him and feigned reading. He then remembered to cancel the silencing charm and did so as his dad walked in through the door. _

_'Hey cub, lunch is ready. Come down now please, and remember that we're going out to see Nev today so look smart. Ish.' _

_'Yeah sure dad, I'll come down now,' Charlie tucked in his chair and followed Remus out, nudging a misplaced magic book under the cupboard as he went._

_'So, cub. What you been up to today in your room? I haven't seen you since 11... ' Remus asked casually. _

_'Oh nothing much... Did a bit of reading and relaxing and stuff... You know. Did you hear that Nimbus have a new broom out? It's so nice, it's got new braking mechanisms and stuff!' Charlie said excitedly. _

_'No I didn't. What's it called?' _

_'The whip 300! It's one of the fastest brooms ever made. Way faster than the last broom out by them- the bolt twelve. Dad? Can we go flying today?' Charlie asked._

_'Nev's coming round. That may not be the best plan...' Remus reminded him. _

_'Oh yeah. Can we go tomorrow?' _

_'Why not? We can go to the forest and fly about there, I hear Lac Bleu is nice,' Remus informed Charlie. _

_'Ah cool, what's the time?'_

_'Quarter to- Quick! You've got fifteen minutes until Nev arrives. T-shirt and shorts on! Make sure you're ready in ten minutes, put your plate on the side and help me dry the plates really quickly...' Remus urged Charlie. _

_'Oh right! Ok!' Charlie picked up his empty plate and walked quickly to the sink where he received a soapy plate and a tea towel, he dried the plate quickly and moved onto the next plate and glasses. After doing this he murmured a quick 'love you, I'll be right back,' to Remus and ran up the stairs to change his jeans into shorts, he pulled on a pair of tan shorts and grabbed his blue baseball boots and put them on. He tried to flatten his messy, brown hair, but when it was to no avail, he ruffled his hair even more and then wandered down the stairs. A few minutes later, Nev arrived with his grandmother. _

'I still can't get my head around the fact you're going into third year! It's just nuts! Totally insane! And I never realised about your magic until recently! You're powerful cub, very powerful,' Remus mused, 'and, cub, you never use magic in front of me. Which makes it even harder to believe.' he chuckled.

'Well I could you know...' Charlie trailed off and then with a wave of his hand three fire balls appeared in the air, Charlie juggled them before merging them and then collapsed them by pushing his hands together. Leaving Remus speechless.

'Yep, well maybe I'm glad you don't on second thoughts!' he stuttered. Charlie just grinned.

'So, cub. Any other secrets or little things I should know?' Remus said jokingly

'Erm... I dunno... I want to be a Marauder, I want to be sorted with blue hair, purple eyes and be really tall. I am- a- WEREWOLF!' Charlie said in mock horror and astonishment. Remus shook his head whilst chuckling softly.

'You'll be the end of me...'

'Nah. I won't. I'll be the most awesome person ever! Wait! Correction: I AM the most awesome person ever!' Charlie wiggled his eyebrows.

'What was I thinking when I got you?'

'That you wanted a super awesome cheeky son?', at Remus' look of incredulity Charlie added 'Sorry, just a suggestion!'

'I give up! Let's play a game.' Remus said, shoulders hunched forward and head down in mock despair.

'FLYING!' Charlie sang in an opera style.

'That's not a game, but alright! Let's fly!' Remus stuck his arm out in a super man pose and ran out the open back door, Charlie followed suit.

After a full hours worth of twisting, turning and dives, Remus and Charlie walked towards the house, brooms slung over their shoulders, grins plastered in their faces. They entered the house, stowed their brooms and proceeded to flop onto the sofa. Charlie picked up his standard book of spells grade 6 and spent a comfortable hour creating water form shapes in the air with his hands and minus words. A soft tapping at the window broke his concentration.


	15. Chapter 15: A visit and some wills

'Dad, there's an owl at the window. Shall I get it?' Harry asked.

'Yeah sure, probably another letter from Nev! He's missed you cub, more than you would believe.'

Harry walked over to the owl and removed the letter from the owls clawed grasp.

It was addressed to him. He used the usual curse detectors before sliding his thumb under the flap to break the seal.

It was written in an elegant, loopy penmanship:

'Dear Mr. Lupin,

We have recieved a notification that there is a will set concerning you, we believe it is your best interests to come as soon as possible to Gringotts to set up a meeting to decide the way to proceed preferably today.

Please reply soon,

Snagclaw,

Goblin Chief of Wills and Requests.'

'Dad, it's for me. Apparently, Gringotts had a will concerning me and it is in 'my best interests' to go today. Is it ok?' Harry called out.

'Don't see why not. I'm coming though! Reply and say we'll be there at 3:30 pm. That gives them time.' Remus' voice sounded from down the hall.

Harry quickly scribbled back a note of acceptance and sent it away with the tawny owl. He then left the room to go to the kitchen where Remus sat. He flopped into the wooden chair in the corner and relaxed. He still wasn't used to his gangly human body, occasionally he would randomly fall over and have to stand up slowly and carefully before carrying on. Much to his dad's amusement, Harry often found himself displaying small wolf like traits throughout the day, but he had learnt to control these urges mainly.

'Harry, I was just thinking about some stuff and well... I thought that perhaps... Maybe you would want to meet with some third years at Hogwarts? It's just I know you're friends with Nev and all, but it's just you're gonna be with new people who are all going to be older than you and a few friends would be nice... What do you think? Cub?' Remus asked, pausing to word his sentences carefully.

'Er... Yeah that would be good...' Remus' face visibly relaxed 'But it's just who would I meet? I mean it's just... Well I don't know anyone.' Harry said anxiously.

'Well, you're friends with the Weasley twins, perhaps they have some friends you could meet?'

'Yeah, that sounds good dad, just one thing: what if they recognise me as being Harry Potter?' Harry's voice rose in worry.

'Harry! Cub! You're a metamorphagus! We can just edit you a bit! Besides you barely resemble Harry Potter now, what with the adoption and stuff' Remus said amusedly.

'Oh yeah! Forgot about that!' Harry said with a wry smile as he slapped his forehead with his palm.

'Anyway, we best be going shortly cub. The goblins don't like in-punctuality! Get into some smart jeans and a polo... Like what you wore for Professor McGonagall. Be back here in the kitchen in ten.' Remus said.

'Yeah sure dad! Be right back!' Harry said before he left for his room.

Harry scampered up the stairs and along the corridor to his bedroom, he swung open the wooden door and pulled open his wardrobe. He flicked through the shirts: green, blue, red, white... The colours went on. He pulled out a white Tommy Hilfiger polo, took off his current tee and pulled on the white polo. He dropped his jeans and replaced them with dark navy slim fit jeans, with a tan belt with a fake silver fastening round. He pulled on some white lace up vans and proceeded down stairs where he grabbed a raisin bagel from the kitchen and walked into the sitting room to meet a waiting Remus.

'Ah, looking nice cub! That's a good look on you! Anyway, we're going to Gringotts and we can apparate to just outside,' he held out his arm which Harry held and then the familiar sensation of being sucked through a tight, suffocating tube took over.

When Harry opened his eyes, he was overwhelmed with the sheer mass of people! There were tonnes! Remus slid his hand down to hold Harry's hand and he pulled Harry guidingly up the steps into Gringotts. Harry and Remus walked with purpose towards the front desk where they saw a small goblin with black beady eyes and a wicked smile staring down at them from his desk.

'Ah, Misters Lupin. We are expecting you,' he informed them in a cold, smooth voice that warranted danger 'We need a proof of identification,' Remus extracted drops of blood painlessly from him and Harry and placed them on the charmed parchment in front them. 'All seems to be in order,' the goblin continued 'Please, make your way to Conference Room 2, where Snarlclaw shall be waiting. You have one minute.' he flashed a nasty grin, baring his spiked teeth.

Harry and Remus speed walked to the said room and when they walked in saw a goblin behind a oak desk, papers on top. The goblin motioned for them to sit on the two red cushioned chairs in front of the desk, which they both did.

'Young Mister Lupin, we have recently become aware that you have become entitled for your inheritance. Without further ado, the wills:'

**A/N: Short I know, rather filler-y but it's necessary... XX read and review please!**


	16. Chapter 16: vaults, robes and pranks

' Without further ado, the wills:'

'Wait one sec! What sort of inheritance? Why weren't we aware of this?' Remus exclaimed.

'Well, Mr. Lupin, it seems that the will only came valid when Harry goes to Hogwarts and has reached a certain level of power. Quite a substantial amount of power actually. And there also seems to be multiple magic blocks on young Mister Lupin's core. Interesting... Very interesting...' the goblin trailed off.

'Sorry sir, but what's interesting?' Harry piped up.

'Oh just that without those blocks you would be very powerful. One of if not the most powerful sorcerer alive. But I suppose that is irrelevant to this meeting, so on to the subject of wills. Here is the last will and testimony of Lily and James Potter:

'Dear Harry,

If you are reading this, we are no longer with you. We are so sorry that we never got to see you grow up, we have loved everything about you since we first realised that you were going to be born.

Firstly, on no account should you ever live with the Dursleys, instead with Sirius Black, your godfather, or Remus Lupin, one of your dad's best mates. They are really nice people and you will have a good life with them!

Secondly, when you turn 10 you shall adopt the title Lord Potter among others. It's quite cool, you get seats on the Wizengamot and go to parties and stuff. Anyway, along with this, you are the heir of multiple different families, including : Potter, Gryffindor, Slytherin by conquer and magic, Pendragon and- here's the cracker- Merlin. These Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses are very high in society, and therefore, you need to be politically aware. It's a lot to take in, we get that, but it's necessary. The house rings are in the respective vaults for collection.

Thirdly, whichever house you join through adoption shall become an Ancient and Noble house by default, due to your status as Head of House, you also will have two titles, one shall be Lord Harry James Potter and the other of your choosing with a hyphenated last name of other name- Potter. If you join their house through magical AND blood adoption, you shall key them into out vaults by your express permission. Remus if you are looking after Harry, don't worry about your issue, we know you will always love Harry, we loved you for who you are, ' Remus' breath hitched,' Also, if you've been blood adopted already then just stay the same, but add the titles.

Fourthly, the House of Weasley have been using the Potter vaults whilst we were alive and they may still be linked in, find this out please.

Finally, Harry, we love you more than our lives. Don't mourn us too much, live a full life. We love you son.

Mum and Dad'

Harry sat in his chair, frozen. His face void of emotion, the occasional whimper sounding from his throat. Remus was shaking, years pouring down his face, Harry stretched his hand out to Remus' and held on tight, Remus responded with the same dependant pressure. Remus knew that James and Lily had accepted him, but to put it in their will?! Remus was struck by their caring words and their sentiments. Harry sat silently for what seemed like forever until Snarlclaw broke the silence.

'Well Mr. Lupin, it seems that the Lordship has passed onto you, we shall visit the vaults today. Would you also like the blocks on your core to be removed today as well? That is possible, we could be ready at 4:30,' Snarlclaw informed them.

Remus shook his head to clear his mind and then replied 'Yes that would be very nice, come on cub,' and the somber party stood up and followed the goblin out of the room.

A few minutes and a cart ride later:

'Vault 2!' the goblin shouted out.

'Hm,' said Remus 'that's an old vault. You really are an ancient family.' Remus mused to himself.

'Got that right,' Harry agreed in awe.

They entered the dark room, Harry peered around the room and walked towards a column in the far end of the vault. On top was an elegant wooden box, with intricate patterns carved into its mahogany sides. Harry flicked open the golden latch and lifted the heavy lid, to reveal a wand with ivy carved around the handel and a diamond encrusted at the bottom. Harry looked back at his dad, he seemed to be inspecting an old trunk, he looked back at the wand. He felt strangely drawn to it, like it wanted him to hold it. Harry stretched out his hand and lightly picked up the wand. Immediately a gold, red and green aura broke out, warmth filled the air and sparks filled the air. Harry stared in amazement at his shocked father.

'I think I may have just found my wand.' Harry grinned.

He turned back to the box, in the bottom was a note in an old script:

'Yew and elder, Phoenix feather, Ice Phoenix tears, Basilisk venom, Werewolf venom, 14 inches. Aura stone: Blue- dark, green- light, red- powerful, black- evil, purple- prodigy. Mix or white (translucent) - mix of traits with colour accordance. This wand is actually a staff, to make it a staff, envisage it in staff form and let your magic flow.

Now the boring stuff's out the way, down to the fun stuff! This staff is incredibly powerful- hence why I keep it here! It once belonged to Merlin, and it hasn't picked a wizard or witch since 100 BC, if it has picked you, firstly, you may want to invest in power control lessons.

Secondly, don't say what it is! Seriously, more people would want this than the elder wand and that's saying something. This wand is the wand/ staff to end all wands/staffs. The aura stone at the bottom is rather interesting, you see, it changes dependant on your mood. However, it may settle down to one colour. Or two.

And last but not least: well done my heir, it's been a pleasure writing at you! Haha, please don't go dark, it would be a terrible waste of a wizard. Especially one like you.

All the best,

Merlin'

Oh right, well I now have Merlin's staff. Harry thought, this could be fun. Harry turned around to face Remus, a mischievous grin on his face,

'Hey dad, guess what?'

Remus looked bemused, 'What?'

'Well this is my new STAFF and it belonged to MERLIN! But you can't tell anyone, but I thought you should know,' Harry said casually, Remus gaped, 'Close your mouth dad, you might catch flies!' Remus was still in a state of shock, he mouthed Merlin at Harry, Harry simply nodded his head. After collecting a very cool trunk with seven compartments that included : a massive ancient library, a fully equipped potions lab, a three bedroom flat, a walk in wardrobe and a room like the room of requirement. The trunk was maroon and had the Potter crest embossed on the lid.

Harry and Remus had stood in the library for what felt like no time at all just gazing around in wonder.

After visiting the rest of the vaults and picking up another trunk, tonnes of spell books, a mokeskin pouch, a selection of pranking items and a book on the dark arts later, Remus and Harry left Gringotts to walk along Diagon Alley to buy Harry's school things.

They bought robes, a cauldron and a lovely tawny owl by the name of Ezekiowl -pronounced like Ezekiel. The two pottered down the high street, occasionally stopping off to look at and buy books, and eventually stopped at Fortescue's to buy two chocolate sundaes with extra chocolate - it's a well known fact that werewolves are all addicted to chocolate.

'This is so good!' Harry mumbled whilst eating his ice cream. Remus nodded in agreement as he lifted his heaped spoon of ice cream to his mouth.

'Thanks dad...' Harry said, looking at Remus in affection.

'What for? The ice cream? You've already said thanks, you can say it again but-' Remus trailed off.

'No, for looking after me. For loving me. For giving me a home when no one else could. For being an awesome dad. For saving me. Just for- I dunno. I love you dad!' Harry said, his face glowing with embarrassment at what he had just said. Remus looked a bit taken short.

'Thanks cub, that means so much to me. I love you too, more than I could have thought possible! I'm so happy that you let me take care of you, I think you saved me from myself. What have you made me into?! Me?! All soft?! Blimey! I must love you!' Remus joked to lighten the mood.

Harry just shook his head and then hugged Remus.

'Dad? I've got a plan! You see the little blonde kid? Yeah the Malfoy one, wait one sec...' Harry scrunched up his face and became a carbon copy of Malfoy, 'Yeah he may meet his "closest" relation today!' and with that Harry stood up and left a amused Remus following him to Madame Malkins. Remus heard a fake arrogant voice drift out of the shop.

'The name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.'

'Wait! What who are you really?! You aren't Draco Malfoy. ' Remus peeked and saw Harry pull down his hood to reveal the face of Draco, his arrogant expression down to a tee.

'Anyway, I'm going to be in Slytherin, can't imagine being in HUFFLEPUFF! I think I'd leave!' Malfoy's face was still a picture of horror.

'Who ARE you?' he squeaked.

'Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.'

'NO! I'm Draco Malfoy! You're not me!'

'Who are you?' Harry had drawn his wand at had it at Draco's throat.

'I told you! I'm Draco Malfoy! You are a fake!'

'Me? A fake?! Obviously not a Malfoy with that sort of stupidity!' Harry snorted.

'Wait till I tell my father about this!' Draco cried. His eyes started to well up so Harry decided to start the next stage of his prank. Madame Malkin called him over to the changing room area and he pulled his hood up and changed his features back to normal but with blue hair and then walked over to here. When he returned five minutes later in robes, Malfoy screamed in horror when he saw his doppelgänger was no longer there, instead was this boy!

'Where have I gone?' he said, scared.

'You're there? What are you talking about?!' Harry said, his face a picture of innocence. Remus, still on looking, stuffed a fist in his mouth to control himself.

'No! I was there and I walked in there with Madame and then you came out!' Draco said, bewildered.

'Nope, I assure you that was me!' Harry said, giving a look like he was a crazy man. Madame Malkin joined in with this look.

'But me? I? Where have I gone?'

'Sir,' began Madame Malkin, 'Are you sure you're feeling well? It must be the heat! Come over here and we can get you a glass of water.' she said, giving him concerned looks, which he picked up on.

'I'M NOT CRAZY! I'M TELLING YOU! I WAS THERE!' he said pointing a finger at the spot where Harry stood.

They all turned around and Harry morphed his features to Draco and looked at him. Draco screamed and pointed at him.

'I'm THERE!' they all turned around again and Harry morphed his features to his blue-haired self and looked back at Draco, who promptly started mumbling about heat and twins and him. Madame Malkin took him into the back of the shop. Harry was left with a confused an slightly anxious shop assistant, he looked her in the eye and changed. She stared in amazement and then burst in laughter. Harry paid for his robes, walked out the shop with a mischievous grin Remus knew all too well, grabbed Remus' hand and they walked off down the street, laughing as they went.

**A/N: who likes prankster/ cheeky Harry? I really like a marauder Harry in fanfics, so I put one in my story! **

**Thank for reading, please like and review thanks! Xx no flames**


	17. Chapter 17: The Hogwarts Express

**Accidents Happen C17:**

The day before departure for Hogwarts:

'Got everything? Wand? Books? Cauldron? Broom?' Remus listed off.

'Yes, yes, yes and yes! I also have a selection of pranking products!' Charlie grinned

'Yes, I know! You couldn't last a week without a prank.'

'No, I can't last a day! Make that an hour!'

'You are such a Marauder! Good thing you were inducted!'

/FLASHBACK/

'Dad? When can I become an official Marauder?'

'I don't know! Today perhaps? It only needs the master copy of the Marauder's map and the Marauder Manual -we recorded our pranks and events in it- and we're done and away!'

'Please can we do it now?' Charlie begged Remus on his knees.

'Yeah sure! Why not?! You're certainly Marauder material!' he winked at Charlie.

'To the den!' Charlie stuck his arm out like superman and ran to the study which Charlie had renamed the den and put all prank items and such that he let Remus know about in there. On the walls, pictures of him and Remus together and individually were hanged, outside their cottage, on broomsticks in the air, at a picnic and hugging. Charlie looked up at the pictures, the corners of his lips turned up. Remus started rummaging through the prank shelf before pulling out the map and manual.

'Here we go! The Marauder's map and manual! I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.' the map burst into action shortly followed my the manual.

'Messers Padfoot and Prongs greet Messer Moony and his cub and wonder what they are up to?'

'Messer Moony is inducting Messer Lupus to the Marauders after seeming him worthy of such a title!'

'Messer Prongs greets Messer Lupus and asks if they are acquainted?'

Charlie spoke up 'Messer Lupus is very much acquainted with Messer Prongs and is in fact Messer Prongs' son.'

'Messer Padfoot expresses astonishment that Messer Prongs ever managed to get a girl! No matter a SON?!'

Remus beamed at the parchment and then Charlie.

'Do we deem Messer Lupus fit to have status as a Marauder?'

'Yes we do. Messer Lupus please sign the members page in the Marauder's manual and place a drop of your blood under your signature and then a drop onto the map. Thank you!' after doing so, a sketch of Charlie and his wolf form appeared on the manual's page and then a new page with fact file filled itself in. Remus signed the page to make it official.

'Boys, it seems we have a new Marauder! Messer Lupus!' Remus announced proudly.

'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!' Charlie smirked, as Remus ruffled his now red hair.

/END FLASHBACK/

'Last thing, have you got the Wolfsbane potion? I know we made enough to last a year or two!'

'Yeah,' Charlie nodded towards the trunk 'it's in the locked area of the trunk along with the invisibility cloak and the map and manual. '

'Good, now remember that you can't look too magically powerful or you'll draw too much suspicion and attention to yourself and with our furry little problems we wouldn't want that, would we Lupus?' Remus smiled knowingly.

'No Moony, we wouldn't, would we? After all the big bad wolves may eat all the students during lesson time!' Charlie jested.

'That we would not Charlie, that we would not,' Remus said, imitating wiseness. Charlie picked up his trunk, took it down the stairs and deposited it in the hall along with Ezekiowl's cage and his broomstick. Charlie was really looking forward to going to Hogwarts officially and doing the Hogwarts thing his dad had told him so much about. But as Charlie walked out the front door, his eyes fell on something glistening in the flower bed. A snake. He quickly checked to see where His dad was- still in the house- and then bent down to pick up the snake.

"Hellooo my friend, would you like to come with me?" Charlie asked the snake.

"A ssspeaker! How... Rare. I haven't ssseeen one before. They were thought to be legend. Yesss, perhapsss I sshhhall come with you ssspeaker! Where are you goinggg?" the snake contemplated.

"Hogwartsss sschool - it'sss for wizardss like me and my dad!"

"Yesss, I think I sshhhall come!" the snake decided.

"Around my wrisst then!" Charlie said and offered his wrist.

"My name iss Quiessé, but to make it eassy, you can call me Diablo." the snake said.

"Diablo? Rather ssstrange name for a sssnake sssuch asss yoursself!"

"I heard a youngling sssay it in the Muggle world. It sssounded niccee!"

"Hmm... Cool! It iss rather niccee!'

Charlie said as he got up, Diablo around his wrist, his dad walked out the front door.

'Let's go!'

The next morning at the station:

Platform 9 and 10 was packed with muggles. They were everywhere, bustling about, knocking into people and generally getting in the way of others. Charlie rolled his loaded up trolley along the platform until he reached the barrier, with his dad's guiding hand in his shoulder, they ran at the barrier and popped out at Platform 9 3/4. Remus bent down and became even with Charlie's eye level.

'Cub, it'll be fine! Are you really that anxious?' Charlie nodded, biting his lip so much the skin started to break.

'Well! Let's edit your face for the journey! I think wavey blonde hair- like the surfers in Australia you saw! And blue eyes and tanned skin. Why don't we bump your height up to five foot five or six? Only another inch or so!' after Remus' description, Charlie changed his features and looked at Remus in anticipation of if the change had gone well, it had. He let a small smile out, the scar wasn't there anymore and he looked quite good he thought! He put his trunk in the luggage carriage and then went back to his dad, small bag of pranking items and coins in hand, who was waiting a metre away.

'All ready? Let's jump on! Shall we get on this carriage?' he gestured towards a carriage two down, Charlie nodded and followed Remus. When they got on, Remus said that he was going to go and ask the teacher on duty something and left the compartment. A red head sauntered towards their compartment and stuck his head in, lounging against the door frame - it was Fred and George's brother.

'I'm Ron Weasley. Have you seen Harry Potter anywhere?' Charlie was liking this boy less and less by the minute, 'I'm looking for him, gonna be his friend you know? My brother George said that I should let him chose his own friends, so did Fred actually as well, but I want to be friends with someone famous. And rich. ' he added as an after thought

Charlie decidedly didn't like the boy. He was too arrogant and fame seeking for Charlie's, or for that matter anyone's, taste. Charlie shook his head and went back to rummaging in his bag for nothing in particular.

'What's your name?' the boy asked.

'Charlie Lupin. ' Charlie replied on telling the red head this, he shrugged, apparently gave up interest and walked out.

'Ah! Charlie! Just checking about any duties I may have possibly had to do- none it turns out! So we get a free train ride to do what we want. Firstly, I advise you socialise. It's a good way to make friends. Secondly, chill. Thirdly, if you do socialise and get overly anxious or something: you have prank planning sanctuary here!' he added with a grin.

'Ok! Er... I think I'll socialise first, pop back for lunch or a tad earlier and perhaps meet up with others later? Sound ok to you?' he planned.

'That sounds great cub! Go and find some third years to meet! And others too, but you know...' Remus added, knowing Charlie's reservations about what he called 'stupid young people who don't know anything.' which Remus found rather arrogant at his age but at the same time, understandable seeing as his magic was so advanced- Harry had progressed to NEWT level in transfiguration and charms and had progressed to a year into an auror curriculum when it came to defensive and offensive spells. Remus had put his foot down when Charlie started blowing things up purposefully and said to wait for Hogwarts to use it in pranks and to fill spare time. In actual fact, he was rather scared at what Charlie could do, not that he'd admit that!

Charlie stood up, gave Remus a hug and a kiss and walked out of the compartment and turned left to where loud bangs were coming from. Trust Charlie to gravitate to noise and explosions! Remus thought.

When Charlie got to the location of the noise, he found two identical red heads sat in a compartment, their heads bent over a box of pranks. Charlie leant in and cleared his throat, they had been too engrossed to notice him before. Their heads sprang up and they pushed the box behind them.

'Messers Gred and Forge-'

'At your service.' they said.

'Hi, guys, it's me, Charlie,' Harry waved at them

'CHARLIE! We didn't recognise you!' the twins shouted in unison, getting up to high five him.

'We were wondering where you were,' Fred said.

'Is your dad here? We heard he was-' George began before Fred took over.

'Teaching Defence,'

'Yeah, he is,' Charlie grinned, 'next carriage down,'

'Well, now we've-'

'Reconvened:,'

'Prank?' George grinned.

'Why not?' Harry shut the door and blinds wandlessly and then proceeded to hang the boys upside down and temporarily banish their clothes except their broomstick and snitches underwear.

'THAT'S NOT WHAT WE MEANT!' the twins laughed from under their robes. Charlie laughed and lowered them down and restored their clothing before saying

'Any idea where a first year called Draco Malfoy is? I think a visit is in order.' the twins nodded and showed Charlie where he was- he was sitting with the arrogant boy from earlier, snippets of conversation drifted out.

'Yes, father's going to buy me a Nimbus 2000 as a welcome to Hogwarts gift-' Malfoy smirked.

'I already have one!' the arrogant boy boasted, much to the amusement of the twins, who shook their heads in disdain, knowing the boy to be lying. Charlie morphed his figure under the cover of his cloak before looking back at the twins with a smirk at their astonishment and waltzed into Malfoy's compartment.

'Yes, I know,' Charlie said, his back to Malfoy, 'I'll be right back, one second!' and he turned round to face the compartment. He took one look at Malfoy and said 'You!' accusingly, his eyes sending Malfoy a dark look, if looks could kill, Malfoy would be six feet under already.

'What?,' Malfoy said in shock before raising his voice at recognition at what had happened,' WHAT?! You fake- weird- IMPOSTER! That's what you are! An imposter!' Charlie just smirked at his confusion and anger.

'No, Mr. I-am-not-actually-a-Malfoy, I am the real thing! You came and STOLE MY PLACE! Oh well! Father shall not be please that some mudblood like yourself came and took a pureblood's place. It insults me and the wizarding world. Besides, being a noble man like myself has privileges. Like being superior to stupid ignoramuses like yourself. Perhaps you'll get into Slytherin. Most likely not. Only noble blood gets in there!' Charlie sneered.

'And where will you go? Eh? Hufflepuff? Gryffindor? Or maybe you won't get sorted at all and get sent back home!' Malfoy retaliated.

'No. No, I won't. Is that the best you can do? And anyway, I'll be in Slytherin with the rest of the noble blood. Until then puffer.' Charlie waved and walked out whilst wandlessly banishing Malfoy's outer clothing, revealing pink underpants and a thin, pale body, much to the amusement of the nearby twins.

'Charlie-' began Fred, or was it George?

'That was-'

'AMAZING!' they finished together.

'We should have thought of that!'

'We could be everywhere at any one time!' one twin said to the other in scheming joy.

'Wicked!' the other said.

'Marauder at your service!' Harry mock saluted to them.

'A MARAUDER?!' George gasped.

'But they're stuff of pranking legend! Did your dad induct you?' Fred said.

'Are you serious Charlie?'

'Yup! Hang on, come with me!' Charlie gestured for them to follow him, they walked quickly to Charlie and Remus' compartment. Charlie pulled open the door and smiled at Remus, Remus put his paper down and folded it up and put it on the seat next to him.

'Hey dad!' he said, Remus and the twins shared a look of confusion at what Charlie was doing.

'Hi Charlie? What's up?' he asked.

'Oh nothing, just Maraudering about.'

Remus looked at the twins, who grinned and brightly said, 'Mornin' Mr. Lupin!' Remus smiled and waved before turning back to Charlie.

'Not already? You pranked someone ALREADY? Blimey? Who, what, where and why? And should Moony know about this?' Remus asked and a second later the twins gasped.

'Moony?' Fred asked Remus, 'Are you Moony?'

'Why yes! Yes I am!' Remus bowed to Fred and George. The twins gave each other a look and got on their knees.

'We always thought you were slightly-'

'Cooler-'

'Than other parents but-'

'A marauder!'

'We are not worthy-'

'Oh great pranking one-'

'Please teach us-'

'In the realms of-'

'Super awesome pranks-'

'For we are measly amateurs-'

'We bow down to the great Moony!' they said alternately in a form of mantra. Remus at first sat in shocked silence and then a grin grew slowly on his face, when they finished, he gave one look at Charlie and burst into laughter.

'Well, in my capacity as a teacher, I shouldn't really,' the twins' faces looked crestfallen, ' HOWEVER, I know that Moony and Lupus can,' the twins beamed at him and then looked confused.

'Lupus?'

'Who's Lupus?' Fred asked.

'Lupus? Why he's the latest Marauder! CHARLIE!' Remus announced as Charlie grinned.

'Woah! What gives the nickname?' George goggled at him. Remus laughed and said smoothly,

'He had an obsession with wolves when he was younger,' much to Charlie's relief.

'But don't tell anyone, want to make it a surprise. You know...' Charlie trailed off.

'We solemnly swear that we shall keep the secrets of the Marauders. ' they saluted and said together much to Remus and Charlie's amusement.

As the journey drew to a close, Charlie sat on the red velvet seats of his compartment, staring out into the lush woodland, his eyes were drawn to the deer that stood in the outskirts of the forest eating foliage. They were natural and seemed to belong in the forest, would he belong, or would he be an outcast for who and what he was? His dad had done it, could he? What if they didn't like him for it? What if they said that he was a monster like Charlie was convinced he was. No matter what his dad said, Charlie knew that really he was a monster, a half-breed. He was powerful and strong, but he was still a dark creature. A dark being. No matter what anyone said, Charlie was dark. And there was nothing he could do to change that.

'Charlie? Cub?' an anxious voice broke the silence, 'What are you thinking? Please tell me,' it was his dad.

'They won't like me. They'll find out and leave me alone. No one will be my friend once they've found out! And then what do I do?' Harry said, trying to hold back tears.

'Charlie, come here,' Remus held his hands out wide, inviting Harry into a hug, 'Charlie, when you don't use you magic to change you, what do you look like?'

'Brown ish hair, green eyes, tanned skin and a scar across my face.' Harry mumbled.

'Exactly, and what does the scar tell us? That you are brave! That you are courageous and push on through, no matter the circumstance! This scar doesn't show that you're a monster. Quite the opposite in fact,' Remus said as he traced where the concealed scar ran, 'If people don't like what you are and stop being your friends, they were not real friends in the first place. If they stay, the are friends for life! Some of my happiest years were at Hogwarts, and my friends knew but they didn't care, in fact they gave me a nickname about it!' Remus tried to console Charlie, 'And if all else fails, which it WON'T, I love you son. And you can stay with me and learn somewhere else. Besides, you have the twins! And you may be in Gryffindor,'

'But what if I'm NOT a Gryffindor?' Charlie said.

'Then another house will have gained a good person!' Remus smiled.

'I think I may be in Slytherin though! Will that matter?'

'No, not in the slightest.' Remus embraced Charlie in a hug, 'Oh and Charlie, Hogwarts has you down as Charlie Remus Lupin to avoid any issues. So no chance of other people knowing your birth name if you don't want them to,'

'Yeah that's fine dad, really good actually,' Charlie smiled at Remus.

'And your dad and your first dad are undoubtedly proud of you!'

'Dad, is speaking to snakes ok? I mean, being a parselmouth?'

'Why? Who do you know who is?' Remus asked, suddenly curious.

'Well, I found this snake in the front garden before we left and he's very nice and could I possibly keep him?' Charlie said.

'You? A snake? Talking? What?! Are you telling me you're a parselmouth?'Remus said, eyeing Charlie suspiciously.

'Well sorta, yeah I am. Can I keep him? Please?' Charlie pleaded Remus.

'Well, he may be taken off you, but I suppose that then he can live in my quarters. Has he got a name?'

'Yeah, one's a parseltongue name and the other he says can be Diablo, cos he heard some kid in 'Muggle world' playing with one,' Charlie informed Remus.

'Riiiiight. Well now we've cleared up the name of your pet snake that you talk to, anything else you want to clear up?' Remus said sarcastically.

'Erm, not really, just can we have a duel sometime soon? I need to see if I can use the auror spells in a duel and I am NOT going up against a third or first year. This is second year auror stuff!' Charlie said curiously.

'Yes, normal rules! No unforgivables. We can duel now if you want? Have you got you shrinky trunk with you? The one with the dueling chamber?'

Remus asked.

'Yeah, here,' Charlie said as he pulled a matchstick size box out of his pocket and made it expand, he lifted the lid and put his hands in to flick through what appeared to be paperwork folders, but when grown became rooms. He found a navy blue folder and pushed his hands apart inside. A rope ladder hung from the side of the trunk, descending into the room.

'You first dad,' Charlie said, gesturing for Remus to enter, which he did, shortly followed by Charlie.

'Now, try not to kill me cub! Let your old man stand a chance against some of those spells you learn!' Remus said jokingly, he hadn't realised that Charlie had been studying in secret to prepare for Hogwarts.

'Yeah sure, now we bow!' Charlie agreed.

'3-2-1!' and the duel began. Spells flew back and forth, all manners of spell craft being used, runes, transfiguration and offensive spells. Charlie, pushing his luck as usual, even threw in a couple minor dark spells an jinxes, but nothing the new DADA professor couldn't handle. They dueled fast and furiously for what seemed like hours, but Charlie was the one who won the duel with his favourite spell: Serpensortia.

"Greetingssss Ssspeaker, what sshhhall I do?"

"Ssscare the mannn over there for mee, do not bitee though, jussst ssscare."

"Ccertainly ssspeaker..." the snake said as he slithered towards Remus, his scales reflecting the light from above.

'Charlie, cub, get the snake away please! I don't like snakes. Get the snake AWAY!' Remus shouted.

'Oh right, shall do, he won't hurt you anyway, I told him not to!'

"That'ssss enough, thank youuu my friend, your help wasss needed! Thankssss" Charlie said as he banished the snake with a flick of his wand.

'Charlie, not funny. Do you have any IDEA how FREAKY it is listening to someone TALK TO A SNAKE?' Remus said, evidently shaken by the experience.

'Not really, but I wanted to test the spell out in a duel and this was the perfect opportunity. Sorry dad, I won't do it again... to you... Probably.' Charlie said, his head going from side to side as if weighing up possibilities.

'Charlie... Charlie... Cub... What am I going to do with you!? You'll be the death of me, the death! But I have to say, it was PRETTY cool!' Remus admitted as they climbed out and shrank the trunk.

'Why thank you father!' Charlie winked.

Just then, a small girl with brown eyes and hair knocked on the door.

'Sorry to bother, but has anyone seen a toad around? Neville's lost his. Oh sorry, I forgot... My name's Hermione Granger, you are?'

'Charlie Lupin and this is my dad, Professor R. J. Lupin' Charlie told her, ' and also, have you not tried a summoning spell? It'd be much easier!' Charlie flicked his wrist and sensed for the toads whereabouts before pulling it towards him, 'Here you go!' Charlie said as the toad arrives in his hand.

'That was very good! But you didn't use a wand... Thanks anyway, what year are you in?'

Realising his mistake, Charlie lied smoothly, 'I did use my wand, didn't you see me?' he looked genuinely confused, 'anyway, I'm meant to be a first year but I'm in third year. So I'm not going to be in your classes, but I may be in your house.'

'Ooh, you must be good then! I don't know which house I'll be in, Ravenclaw I suppose, but I would like to be in Gryffindor! What about you? And what happens when you leave school, but can't properly leave because you'd be 15 or 16 when you finish.'

' I'm not exactly sure... An apprenticeship perhaps or do a masters? Or teaching or something in the castle? And Gryffindor or Slytherin. I don't think I'm Puff stuff or a knowledge person. More power and ambition, yet I am reckless sometimes and brave. So either really!' Harry summed up.

'Oh right, from what I've heard, Slytherin is evil, but I'm not so sure! I mean, they can't all be bad!' Hermione insisted.

'I'm sure they're not, but it's just more prejudice you know! Like with muggleborns and supposed 'dark' creatures and talents, a load of cods wallop if you ask me!'

'You seem well... Versed in the prejudice among wizard kind, almost like you are prejudiced against. But why would you be?' Hermione said to herself quietly, but Charlie's extra sensitive hearing picked it up and all the blood drained from his face, this girl was sharp, too sharp. Dangerous.

"Sshhee isss trusstworthy though ssspeaker!' Diablo hissed.

"How do you know thisss for a fact, Diablo?" Charlie whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"I can read her... You can read heerr tooo, ssspeaker. "

Legilimency.

He could use surface Legilimency, where you looked at a persons intentions and personality as opposed to memories. She seemed curious yet trusting and there was a hidden sense of loyalty. Maybe she only trusted and was loyal to a few, like Charlie only trusted a few. Maybe she had a secret?

A pregnant pause filled the air before Hermione broke it by saying goodbye and see you soon to them both and leaving.

'She was too observant. I felt uneasy,' Charlie told his dad, 'what if she puts it all together? She could you know!'

'Then we swear her to secrecy unless you are really close friends. Even then you could make her swear!' Remus plotted menacingly, Charlie really wouldn't want to be on his bad side.

'I should get changed, we're gonna arrive in about ten minutes!' Charlie said excitedly.

'Alright,' Remus said.

'Dad?'

'Yes?'

'Do I have to be in a house?'

'Yes I think you do, why?' Remus asked, baffled by this random question.

'Because, I don't think that I'd fit in Slytherin because of my Gryffindorness, but am too dark and secretive and stuff for Gryffindor. And that also, I am more magically wise than nearly everyone my age. Spell wise I mean.' Charlie said.

'Charlie, I know that this is exciting, but don't go boasting about it, you may make a few enemies and stuff! Just tone down what you do and try to fit in! Do well, but don't do amazingly and then show off! We need to keep this sorta half under wraps ' Charlie looked puzzled and then said:

'Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be the best plan ever. Thanks for pointing that out dad,'

'Not a problem, come on you need to get changed, we're about three minutes away!'

'Righteo!' Charlie said as he pulled off his shoes and socks and proceeded to get changed, 'I think I could be a tad taller, don't you think? Just an inch or so?'

'Half an inch, or you'll stick out too much with blue hair!' Remus said firmly.

'I forgot about that! Hang on! Electric blue?' he said quietly and scrunched up his face in concentration as his hair turned blue, 'Blue hair!' Charlie sang, he then made it messy and fairly long , 'Messy blue cool hair!' he sang even louder, to Remus' annoyance. Remus didn't really like loud noises because of his extra sensitive hearing, Charlie sort of understood as he shared the same problem, but it didn't stop him from being noisy.

'Cub, one last thing: no matter what, I'm proud of you, ok?' Remus said as he pulled a now changed Charlie into his arms.

'Yeah, I love you dad,'

'I love you too cub, I love you too! Remember to go with the first years to the castle and then sit with the third years!' Remus winked at Charlie.

Charlie and Remus exited the compartment as the journey pulled to a close and with one final hug and kiss, split up. Charlie walked down the busy, crowded corridor to meet up with the twins and Lee Jordan- one of their mates- and they walked off the platform laughing, Charlie then split up with them telling them he needed to be sorted after seeing their confusion.

'You're going to be sorted? But you're in our year?' Lee said giving Charlie a weird look.

'Yeah, but I haven't been sorted before, so I really need to!' Charlie explained.

'Oh right, seya then!' Lee and the twins said, waving Charlie off along with the twins.

As Charlie walked up the hill, he saw a familiar face, a very familiar face, one that Charlie almost cried out in sheer happiness to see.

'NEV!' Charlie shouted to attract his attention, Nev span round and looked at Charlie in confusion who ran up to him and whispered in his ear

'It's Charlie, I didn't want any attention so I edited myself a bit' Charlie said mischievously.

'I was gonna say! Blue hair in a wizard! Not very common!' Nev laughed.

'Yeah well, apart from that! I always wanted to have blue hair at my sorting!' Charlie shrugged.

'Wow! You're normalcy astounds me as usual!' Nev smirked.

'Oi! The weirdo has feelings too!' Charlie said in mock distress, clutching at his heart dramatically before wiping an invisible tear from his eye.

'Riiiight! I'll bear that in mind!' Nev chuckled at his friends stupidity.

'You do that.' Charlie said straightening up, 'Oh and by the way, the Weasley kid in our year is searching for 'the famous Harry Potter!' Horrible kid!'

'I'm sure that Weasley can't be THAT bad!' Nev said.

'Oh trust me!' Harry said darkly, 'He is! He came up to me and told me he wanted to be friends with Harry Potter for his fame and money! I told him to stick it where the sun don't shine!'

'Trust you to do that!' Nev shook his head, hiding a giant beam of a smile, 'Any pranks as of today?'

'Yes! I had a great idea on the train! I'm gonna pretend to be Snivellus Snape! Then walk into the great hall and proclaim my love for McGonagall! In front of the whole school! It's gonna be awesome!' Charlie said excitedly.

'Oh Merlin Charlie! Trust you! But that does sound pretty cool! Perhaps you could make Snape wear some embarrassing robe or something?' Nev suggested.

'Thanks for the suggestion! That's pretty cool! I was thinking more a robe in Gryffindor colours with 'I love Gryffs' on the back?' Charlie said.

'Yeah! That'd be good! Or perhaps he could have a- I dunno... A bat? Floating above him as well?'

'YES! YES! I likey! I likey a lot!' Charlie cried, which attracted a lot of strange looks from the nearby people. In his scheming trance, Charlie didn't realise that they had reached the harbour where little boats where situated, bobbing up and down in the ebb and flow from the lake. Charlie and Neville climed into a boat with Hermione Granger and a boy he hadn't seen before. Conversation didn't last very long as it was often stifled by bouts of OOHs and AHs. The most that Charlie managed to get out of the unusual boy was that his name was Justin Finch-Fletchley and he thought he would be a Hufflepuff- which secretly Charlie agreed with just based on the boys demeanour. As they approached the other side of the lake, Charlie made one final check of his appearance in the calm water below him, his hair and eyes were the right colour - blue hair and eyes! That would have to change, Charlie made his eyes purple as planned originally instead, his blue hair would stay there! About that he was adamant.

(fill in the blank for them walking up)

The castle was stupendously large with colourful stained glass windows, turrets and towers. As Charlie walked up the steps to the door of the castle with Nev, he had one last fleeting thought.

There's no going back now, not once I'm in. What if they find out? Charlie shook his head to expel the idea, but it still lingered.

'I heard that we have to wrestle a troll!' it was the Weasley kid, he was so thick Harry couldn't believe it.

'We would die! Of course we can't!' that was the Malfoy slime ball. At least one of those two arrogant twits had some sense.

'Guys, you're being stupid! Obviously we have to duel Dumbledore!' Charlie said confidently, only Nev knew he was joking, the rest all paled considerably and started trembling. Just then, Professor McGonagall swept into the entrance hall, shutting the large oak doors silently behind her.

'You are about to be sorted, there are four houses, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin,' Malfoy had a smirk on his face at that mention, 'They will be like your family for the school year, rule breaking will lose points, any good work will gain points. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins the house cup. We are ready for you now.'

With a slick swish of her robes, she span round and walked into the great hall after waving the doors open with her wand. They followed her nervously into the hall, eyeing the witches and wizards sat at five separate tables around the room, at the top of the hall was his dad on the teachers table, he wore a proud smile and did a small wave at Harry, which he returned. They collected around the sorting hat at the front of the hall, Charlie noticed lots of strange looks from members of the hall at him, it must be my hair! Charlie thought happily.

One by one the first years went and up and sat on the stool, jamming the poor, beaten hat on their heads.

'Weasley, Ronald.'

After a moments pause,

'SLYTHERIN!'

'WHAT?! But my family are Gryffindors!' Ron shouted in indignation at a amused hat.

'Yes, I know, I've sorted them all! But you are too sneaky too be a Gryffindor, Slytherin would suit you much better! Now off you trot! No resorts for you!' the hat said merrily to an angry Ron.

Professor McGonagall proceeded onwards 'Zabini, Blaise' was a 'SLYTHERIN!'.

By now Harry was the only one left.

'And a third year,' McGonagall said, 'Lupin, Charlie!'.

All eyes were on him, he walked coolly up to the hat and placed it on his head after sending a distressed look to Remus that only he could see

'OH! Another Lupin! But a Potter too! And a werewolf! But you are powerful, very powerful! I haven't seen power that rivals this before, perhaps Slytherin himself, but no! Not like you! And it's growing! Your core is growing at an alarming rate after how big it is already! Already finished the Hogwarts curriculum have we? Well, this puts me between a rock and a hard place! '

'Why?'

'Well, you see, you are fairly Gryffindor in your personality but at the same time carry Slytherin traits and powers. You would be more powerful in Slytherin- which I can see you are desperate you be- but have more friends in Gryffindor. I know what to do-'


	18. Chapter 18: feast and feats

**Accidents Happen C18:**

'ALBUS WE NEED TO TALK!' the hat shouted to the great hall, to Charlie's mortification. The great hall was frozen. No one said a word. And after what seemed like forever, whispers broke out through the hall.

'No house?'

'Impossible!'

'Perhaps he's a muggle!'

Charlie turned around to look at Remus, who was confused and distraught at his son's obvious upset and discomfort. Why him? Why his cub?He could see that years were welling in Charlie's purple eyes, he knew Charlie had feared this, even if he had never actually told him. Dumbledore got up slowly and then walked to the stool where Charlie sat, the hat still on his head. His eyes weren't twinkling, they were filled with confusion and worry.

'What is the problem?' he said to the hat.

'Put me on. ' said the hat shortly. Dumbledore picked up the worn hat and placed it on his head instead of the pointed hat he was originally wearing.

'Albus. This boy is potentially lethal. He has power stronger than nearly all fully grown witches and wizards and he is ELEVEN! His power rivals yours! Even at his age! He is very Slytherin in his motives for power, he holds great ambition and is prepared to do almost anything. Yet he is not dark... Yet.

He hates his status as a dark creature, but that doesn't seem to stop him in his yearning for knowledge. A range of knowledge encompassing the Dark Arts too. If he were to become dark, you would not stand a chance. He would be practically invincible. The world would fear his very name. One other thing: he's the ancestor of Salazar himself. What would you have me do? Also, he has finished the spell side and potions side of Hogwarts really. It's more dueling he is focused on. '

'This is a dilemma! Well, could he apprentice under someone? Or perhaps learn from the founders themselves? I know Salazar would happily do so. After seeing his power and realising this is his descendant.' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, yes that would be good! He can live with the Gryffindors have some special lessons with his father and Salazar. I hear you are putting him in third year- he would wipe the floor with them! You would be limiting him! Stopping him from being his very best! He could be an auror by the age of 16! Put him in the seventh year so he can take his NEWTs, I know you didn't want him to stand out, but he already does. This boy will do great things! Lord Charlie Lupin will! Also, I think this may be upsetting him greatly at the moment, especially with the extra attention- he won't want the feeling of people possibly finding out about him! I have never seen a kinder, more caring werewolf with a thirst for pranks, except Lupin Sr.'

'But what to do with him?' the sorting hat mused.

'Apprenticeship with Salazar and his father. He will be a Slytherin and Gryffindor but his head of house shall be Professor Lupin and Lord Slytherin together.' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, it shall be called an Apprenticeship of the First Order. But we shall announce him to be a Slytherin Apprentice? It's not fair in him otherwise.'

'Alright, I'll get him back!'

'Bye Albus!' said the hat through the mind link.

'Charlie my boy! It seems we have come to a conclusion! It took a long time, but we think we have got a brilliant solution! You will be an apprentice to your dad and Salazar Slytherin. But you shall reside in whatever tower if you want to. Is that agreeable?' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, that's fine sir, please may I quickly say something to the hat?'

'Yes, you may, but be quick!' Dumbledore said in astonishment as Charlie pulled on the hat.

'Hey hat!'

'Hello Charlie! What can I do for you?'

'I wanted to find out your name. What is it please?'

'Never been asked that before! Well my name is Wilberforth, so now you know! Is that all?' Wilberforth joked.

'No, not exactly. Firstly, can I talk to you again? Secondly, can you announce a house just for my peace of mind, I know I'm not officially, but I don't want to be some no houser. And thirdly, when you read me, do you see Charlie Lupin or Harry Potter/Lupin?'

'Nice questions, the answers are yes, yes and Charlie Lupin, that's what you think yourself to be, so that's what I see. And here we go- SLYTHERIN GRYFFINDOR!' Charlie beamed, took off the hat, bade it goodbye and ran off to the Gryffindor table, much to his and Remus' relief.

The hall sat in silence at the new addition to Gryffindor and Slytherin, they all stared intently at him, watching his every move. Apart from the twins followed by Lee, who after a moments shock stood up and clapped loudly. This seemed to break the trance as scattered claps sounded throughout the room.

'So Charlie, our Maraudering friend. Welcome to Gryffindor!' the twins said together, 'What took you so long? That was over ten minutes!'

'We had some... Issues to sort out. Just lessons and stuff. Apparently I was too far along for third year. I dunno, I'm hungry!' Charlie resolved before reaching out for some potatoes and lamb with mint sauce- the lamb was a little over cooked for Charlie's werewolf taste.

'So-'

'Charlie-'

'Just thinking that perhaps-'

'You may be interested in pulling a prank-'

'Now!?' the twins said alternately.

'Yeah sure! I have an idea!'

'What?!' the twins chimed eagerly.

'The Slytherins, do you think Gryff colours would suit them? And what about fireworks?'

'Why yes Charlie!'

'Yes we likey... We likey a lot!'

'One second and then it shall be ready!' said Charlie, the twins watched and helped Charlie before waiting with baited breath as Charlie set about putting charms on the glasses of the Slytherins that after been touched or drunk from, made the user have red and gold hair.

'In one minute, the Slytherin will be in for a shock.' said Charlie mischievously. The twins and Charlie sat in speculative silence, counting down the seconds until-

'MY HAIR!'

Fireworks rocketed into the air in Gryffindor colours and showered the Slytherins with red an gold sparks. All the heads in the hall turned towards the Slytherin table, searching for the source of the ungainly noise. A lone boy stood up in confusion and anger. He had gold and red hair. Then several pops filled the hall as other members of the house's hair followed suit. Cries of outrage and shock enveloped the hall much to the amusement of the rest of the school.

'WEASLEYS!' shouted an enraged McGonagall, 'and you too Lupin, I have a feeling you have something to do with this!' she said as she narrowed her eyes at Charlie's innocent expression. She had a gut instinct that Charlie had inherited his father's talent for both mischief and magic. As she stood up to lead the boys out the hall, a calming hand was placed on her arm,

'It is ok Minerva. These boys did no harm physically, do not take them out now, but after the feast. I am interested to learn who did this spell work, it is rather advanced for third years.' said Dumbledore.

'Alright Albus, but mark my words, we're in for a- strenuous seven years. That boy is a Marauder if ever I saw one!'

'Well, I am sure that he has a few tricks up his sleeve. But none the less, I shall keep an eye on him. However I do think it is time for a new Marauder- as they fashioned themselves. Look, even Remus is trying to hide his amusement. But I think at the same time, he is a tad upset that Charlie has already done a few pranks.'

'A FEW?!'

'Oh yes, apparently somehow he became Draco Malfoy and- to use a muggle expression- 'stitched him up'. According to Severus, a young Slytherin saw him become young Mr. Malfoy and then a replica of the Weasley twins. Very amusing and interesting. I wonder how?'

'That shouldn't be possible at his age. He isn't mature enough magically, surely?!' Minerva gasped.

'Yes, well the sorting hat did say that the boy is so powerful and aware already that he feared he may become the next dark lord if something were to help him to become dark.'

'SURELY NOT! Remus Lupin's boy? Dark? No! That is impossible! He's so sweet and innocent. But then again, so was Riddle. Lupin showed talent that I'd never seen before. Things not even Riddle could imagine. Yes, if he became dark, we'd all be in grave danger. Let's hope that he's not.'

Little did they know, Charlie and Remus could both hear their hushed conversation clearly due to their sensitive hearing. They turned slowly to each other and looked one another in the eye. They both looked horrified and Charlie looked scared. Charlie entered his father's mind and projected his thoughts to him:

'I won't turn dark. I can't turn dark. I'm just... Dad, what do I do?'

'Charlie-'

'How can I turn dark when I was born Harry Potter? That would be like Voldemort being a good guy. I mean, yeah my furry little problem doesn't really help my case! But really?!'

'I know, I completely get that. But I trust that you'll make the right decisions and I'll most likely support them... Unless you suddenly decide you want to kill me for some reason, then I'll have some reservations.' Remus joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere, 'Anyway, I think we should stop talking, or whatever we're doing, McGonagall wants you and the twins to reprimand you for that lovely introductory prank you did. Very nice Moony says, your father however says : 'the first night? Already? Not good behaviour, but at the same time supports the beating of Slytherins.'

'Well Messer Moony, Messer Lupus is glad you enjoyed, but Charlie says to his father: 'Sorry but the opportunity was too overwhelmingly good! And supports the want for pranking Slytherins'. Besides, whoever heard of a Marauder not pranking Slytherins, especially on this prestigious of nights! Anyway, seya around dad, I think I have you tomorrow? I'm not entirely sure. See ya, love you!' Charlie mentally winked at Remus, who chuckled.

After the feast, Charlie was steered away from the exit with the twins by McGonagall. She had pursed white lips and her eyes were stony and cold. She pushed them into a large room off the edge of the hall, conjured three chairs and pushed them all into them.

'What have you got to say for yourselves Weasleys? Lupin? Hmm? I expected better from you all! Especially you Lupin! Your first day! I thought that with your circumstances you would keep your head down! ENOUGH! ' she shouted at the splutterings of the boys,' Detention. For a week! And fifty points from Gryffindor for abject stupidity. Go! Now!' she said as she tiredly massaged her temples. The boys stood up quickly and almost ran out the room,

'Close call there mate!'

'Yeah I thought we were goners!'

'I was ready to pack my bags and leave!'

'Charlie?'

'Yeah?'

'What did she mean by your 'circumstances'?' both twins peered to look at Charlie who froze momentarily.

'Circumstances?' he squeaked.

'Yeah you know?'

'Probably just the sorting fiasco, I don't exactly know!' Charlie said smoothly after regaining his control. The twins cast each other silent looks of disbelief, Charlie sounded way too nervous for it to just be that!

'Hm, didn't sound like that's what she meant, care to guess again?' George said.

'Just DROP it! ' Charlie snapped as his hair turned slightly red for an instant, 'Sorry, but I really don't know. Sorry for snapping at you, I didn't mean to do that.' Charlie gave them both apologetic glances.

'That's fine-'

'Yeah don't worry little bro-'

'Little bro?' Charlie gave them a confused look.

'Yeah well now you're our twin, you sorta are our little brother-

'And also, we've been like brothers since-'

'Forever-'

'So you need not worry-'

'Messer Lupus-'

'Everything shall remain-'

'Secret-'

'Until you want it in-'

'The big wide world!' Charlie had an awestruck look on his face, one the twins learnt meant 'Prank time!'.

'How do you do that?'

'The alternate thing?'

'Telepathy-'

'Helps-'

'In more than just-'

'Pranks.' they finished together.

'Basically, you telepathically message each other and that's how you do it?'

'Yeah, and only we can let people in, so...'

'Find the right network Charlie!'

Charlie screwed up his face in concentration, not unlike how he used to change his appearance, he searched the minds of the vicinity to see what and where he had to go and do. The floor was misty and there were doors littered around the place; Witter and Dingley, Snape and Dumbledore- what happened in there?! ergh! Finally he found the right place, it was a modern muggle apartment with a white door, on the door there was the number 2 and underneath the words 'Weasley and Weasley' in gold lettering. Charlie knocked on the door and to his surprise, it swung open and sucked him in.

'CHARLIE!'

'YOU MADE IT!'

'Merlin Charlie, that was pretty quick! I was expecting to be waiting here for ages!'

'Sadly brother of mine, he is in and I think it'd be pretty challenging to kick him out.'

'Yes, we best be nice to each other here, ok Charlie?' Fred put on a sickly sweet voice.

'Onto pranking we ride!' George said loudly, as if leading an army into battle which made him receive bemused looks from the other two.

'Does Lee ever get in here?' Charlie asked.

'Nah, we never let him into it-'

'Well to be fair, he never asked-'

'Suppose, anyway, no he didn't cos we didn't know whether he could be trusted with such a big thing, but we've known you since you were a titchy little thing-'

'So we can trust you!' they concluded.

'How did I not know of this? HM? Anyway, I think we'd better be going,' Charlie said aloud.

'Yeah, we probably should. Anyone know the password?' George asked.

'No but I can find out easily!' Charlie said slyly, 'Or we can simply go round the side and through the passage!'

'Passage? What passage?'

'Why haven't we heard of this?' the twins asked in incredulation.

'Oh well, us Marauders have our ways around the castle and as it is, I plan to find more!' Charlie declared.

By now they had arrived outside the fat lady, who was intent on making some alcoholic concoction that Charlie strongly suspected was some form of magically strengthened wine. Charlie ushered the twins into a nearby alcove and told them to check the map that there was no one coming, which there wasn't, he then proceeded to locate the portrait of the three pigs trying to build a house, when he found it, he looked around again, called out the twins, whispered the password- Big bad wolf- and slipped into the darkened passage way.

'Where does this go?' asked Fred.

'The steps on the left go to the common room study area-you pop out at a panel in the middle of the wall- and the staircase on the right goes to a dead end. Apparently. I plan to find out soon if it actually is a dead end.'

'Wicked.'

'So Charlie, what do we do now?'

'Check the study area for people and then move out!'

'Sir yes sir!' the twins saluted at Charlie and then scampered up the steps towards the common room. Charlie took a look down to the dead end, decided it was too risky if he was seen coming out later and went in pursuit of the twins.

**The twins' POV:**

'Firstly, Charlie is awesome.'

'Yeah, I know we were always friends with him but the stuff he knows about Hogwarts!'

'With all that secret stuff and pranks we never knew!'

'Seriously cool!'

'Do you know what McGonagall meant by circumstances?'

'Nah, Charlie didn't seem too happy when we asked him. Especially when we hinted that we thought he wasn't being exactly truthful!'

'Yeah, something to hide I'm guessing, but what?'

'Maybe something sad and dramatic like his- broom snapped! Cos why else would McGonagall drag it up?'

'I dunno, but keep your eyes peeled! And what sort of circumstance is 'my broom snapped'?'

'A bad one. Do you know where his dorm is?'

'Nah I don't, is he with us? Cos he is a third year sorta...'

'Perhaps, let's find him using the map!'

We opened and activated the map only to find that Charlie was sitting up in the top of the tower, actually in the walls, well that's what it looked like. We walked up the cold stone steps until they reached where Charlie was supposed to be sitting, but he wasn't there. I tapped the map, as if trying to see if the reading was right, when nothing changed, we walked even closer to where he was meant to be, it was an arched window with a slate window ledge slightly jutting out from the tower. George cleared his throat to see if Charlie was nearby and just not in sight, but when we got no response, we assumed that either Charlie wasn't there and the map made a mistake, or he wanted to be alone.

The tower incident from Charlie's POV:

I sat on the stone floor of the attic area of the tower, pushing grains of sand and dirt around the floor. Diablo was wrapped around my wrist, watching me in my pointless task.

"What isss bothering you ssspeaker?'

"I'm ssscared that when the twinss find out they won't like mee. Then I shhall be alonee. Alsso, the headmasster thinkss I am dark and eviil. When he findss out about thiss, he shhall be ssure. Dad undersstandss though Quiessée. But other humanss shhall not."

"Do not worry ssspeaker, it iss jusst a talent. Anyway, who caress, you are the heir of Ssalazar Sslytherin, the great ssspeaker himsself."

"Guesss sso." two sets of footsteps echoed up the stairs into the attic, " Quick ssomeone'sss coming, hide up my ssleve!"

I made myself invisible and froze, my feet stopped swaying in the breeze outside the tower. It was the twins, I could smell them, their scent had carried up the steps and had reached me. When they arrived, map in hand, I inwardly screamed. HOW STUPID WAS I?! I forgot about the map, I held my breath for all it was worth and to my relief, they walked away after deciding I wasn't there. I exhaled loudly and after a minute walked back down the steps and into a passageway that led me straight to the study area. Where I met Granger.

'Hey Granger,' I said lightly.

'What do you want Lupin?' she spat.

'Woah! Where'd the sudden I-hate-Lupin come from?'

'It came when you pulled that stupid prank at the feast! That was blatant disregard of the rules Lupin and you know it!'

'Come on Granger! It was a joke! No one got hurt!'

'Lupin you are such a dolt I don't think that it's the best that we talk. I don't know what happened, you were so nice on the train... And now I find that I want to strangle you in annoyance for no real reason but the fact that you pulled a prank-'

'WOAH! Slight extreme reaction there! Murder? Not sure I'm too happy with that!'

'Go away Lupin, I'm studying.'

'Ok, seya around Granger. I like you, it seems a shame that you don't like me. ' she just groaned at me in exasperation before returning to her book.

Girls. I'll never get them.


	19. Chapter 19 : a duel don't ya know

Accidents Happen C19:

Charlie's POV:

Merlin I'm so sore.

Seriously. I feel like my body is going to fall apart it aches so much. The run up to full moons are never normally this bad, normally I feel slightly ill, I'll have a temperature, a headache and feel kinda dizzy as well as achy joints. Today however, I feel like my arms are about to drop off. I guess I'm just hoping now that no one notices.

I attract enough attention as it is!

Remus' POV:

I'm bouncing with nerves. I feel physically sick and just want to go back to my room and flop onto my bed. Charlie is going to be my assistant in my first years lesson, he said that he had an independent study period that lesson and could come along and help out, which I gladly accepted. My classroom is ready, the mahogany desks are in neat lines, the extra study books are prepared, the spare ink is ready, the floor is clean and Charlie should be arriving any minute.

Three knocks in the door resounded through the room.

'Charlie! Come in!'

'Hey dad! What we doing?' came the cheery voice I was so familiar with.

'We are doing a general overview of what this lesson is about and we shall have a duel to demonstrate what they should try and work towards. Don't worry though we shall use only up to... Let's say fifth year spells?'

'Yeah fine by me! Where shall I sit?'

'Do you want to sit in my office? You can do your study in there with Prof. Slytherin and then enter the lesson easily: we're going to use Flitwick's old duelling platform in the lesson so brush up on your more glamorous spells if you would,' I shuddered as I saw an evil grin grow on Charlie's face, it was one I was oh too familiar with.

NOTE TO SELF:

Don't accept ANY food or drink from Charlie.

'Ok dad, prepare to be beaten!' Charlie cackled as he left the room for the office, I had got used to Charlie's antics now, he reminded me so greatly of James and Sirius that sometimes I forgot he was Charlie and not my school mates. Drat! I forgot my book! I put down my quill and sprinted to the office to get it off my desk but when I reached the office I found myself face to face with a dementor- or what looked like one anyway. I pulled out my wand and shouted 'EXPECTO-' but to my confusion I heard guffawing from under the hood.

'You are hilarious!' came a voice from the dark, 'you should've seen your face!'

Right, so much for a dementor gone AWOL. Turns out it was a disguised Charlie, he's a nutter that one! How did he manage to get changed so quickly? It was only about a minute or two! With an amused sigh, I walked over to my desk, glaring at the bowl of chocolates in wrappers that had just appeared on the desk, I scooped up my book on the way out but as I turned out I heard a laugh and Charlie saying 'Nice hair!' before he scampered past me and out the office.

'CHARLIE JAMES REMUS LUPIN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!' I cried as I ran to my quarters just off the main classroom to find a mirror, which would be- in the- bathroom! To the bathroom! I sprinted into my lounge, slamming the door open as I ran, I skidded into the bathroom and gazed at my reflection. My normal, non-crazy haired reflection.

'You've double pranked me Charlie and you will feel my wrath,' I stated darkly as I gave one final look before running back to the classroom, wand bared only to see a very startled first year class staring at me intently as I caught my breath and skidded around the corner to face my desk where I saw him. A relaxed Charlie sat straight legged across my desk, a munched on apple in hand, he was addressing a very amused yet slightly scared bunch of first years. His hair was just the same as mine but with blue streaks in, his face was older and reflected mine, if I didn't know better I would assume he was a teacher.

'So then I jumped on him and turned his hair-'

'Mr. Lupin. What ARE you doing on. my. desk?' I said smoothly in a low, hopefully threatening voice but I feel the effect was rather ruined by the amused undertone my voice carried.

'I am informing students on how to deal with pranksters, which after seeing the twins, they'll need,' he said, sliding off the desk casually, taking another bite of his apple.

'Yes, well kindly refrain from doing that in my classroom,' the first years looked on eagerly as if watching a tennis match.

'Sorry shall do, see you later class,' he waved merrily.

'Bye Mr. Supermegacoolawesomeprankste rextraordinaire, Genius For Short, sir,' the class chimed as I buried my face in my hands, what had Charlie told these kids?

'Right, well that was my assistant Mr. Lupin, but you can call him Charlie, I do when I'm not shouting at him,'

'You know him sir?' a small, pointed faced girl asked from the front row, her voice quivered with apprehension or just down right fear.

'Yes, sadly I do,' I was about to carry on but I was interrupted by Charlie shouting,

'I HEARD THAT!' much to the class' amusement.

'Yes, I do, he's my son,'

'Isn't he a bit old to be your son sir?'

'Miss-?'

'Granger. Hermione Granger,'

'No miss Granger, in fact that's not even what he looks like, usually he looks much more like a nut case than that,'

'Charlie Lupin,' she breathed much to my amusement, she promptly turned a deep red and huffed.

'Is that a problem?' I asked, deeply amused by our conversation, and apparently so was Charlie as I could see his head poking through the partially open door.

'No, he pulled a prank at the feast,'

'Was that him?! With the twins?!' the class broke into chatter and laughing.

'Yes, hush down! Thank you, now I do believe we should be moving on,' I said loudly but when I stopped talking, all I could hear was hissing from my office. What was Charlie doing?

'Who knows what the incantation for the disarming hex is?' I asked the silent class, they all stared at me blankly except for one. Miss Granger bounced up and down in her chair, her hand fluttering as she desperately tried to get my attention, it was rather comical actually, not that I laughed at students, with a certain reluctance to let her answer I nodded at her.

'The incantation for the disarming hex is 'Expelliarmus,', the wand movement is a sharp jab and a twist of the wrist. The wand that has been disarmed should fly away from the victim and into the nearby vicinity,' she rambled on, seeing an point to intervene I leapt on the opportunity before she gave a full blown lecture.

'Yes thank you, now I shall demonstrate-'

CHARLIE'S POV DURING THAT SCENE:

I sauntered out the classroom, quickly erected a muffliato and then burst into laughter so great I had tears streaming down my face.

''May I enquire asss to what isss ssso funny?" came a silky voice from behind dad's desk, it was my tutor, Lord Salazar Slytherin.

"I had a bit of- a laugh with the firssst yearsss, very amusssing,"

"Ssso that wasss the racket, I did wonder," he chuckled before gazing down at me, "You're a bit older than I expected,"

"Sssorry Lord Ssslytherin, I am in disssguise," I chuckled before returning to my usual appearance, I flicked my blue hair out the way and smiled cheerily.

'So you truly are my descendant and heir,' Slythetin smirked as I stopped still.

'What?'

'You speak the noble tongue of the snakes, that trait is only possible in the Slytherin family blood line, no one, except through possession, can talk the tongue,' Slytherin drawled at me, his eyebrow was raised and I shot him a look.

'Yes, I was aware that I was your descendant, but heir? And why have we switched back to English Lord Slytherin?'

'Sal is fine, none of the Professor, Lord or Master stuff for me Charlie, very astute of you Charlie to recognise the tongue and before you ask I heard your dad,' I nodded at Sal's observations to prove them correct before looking up at him once more.

'Right, so sir, what are we doing today?'

'The Dark Arts,' Sal said in a low voice.

'The Dark Arts?' I said with hidden interest and enthusiasm, well not as hidden as I planned as Sal seemed to smirk and carried on.

'Yes, I can sense the Dark Touch in your blood, a curse or two, may I enquire as to which?'

'Lycanthropy and Avada Kedavra,' I mumbled blushing bright red and facing the floor.

'A werewolf, eh? The heir of Slytherin, a werewolf?! I always said we were a dark house! And Avada Kedavra? Now that _is_ interesting! I do believe the only person to have survived that is Harry James Potter, another descendant, but you are a Lupin by blood, unless- blood adoption. You were born Harry Jam-'

'Sh! No one can know! Not even Dumbledore!' Charlie spat.

'As I if I would tell that old coot!' Sal sneered before pulling a mocking face and putting on a voice, 'I've lost Harry Potter- it's for the greater good! Greater good this, greater good that!' It'd be for the greater good if he stuck it where the sun don't shine!' Sal grumbled much to my amusement, 'Even his _Phoenix_ is annoying sometimes!'

'Haha! You really despise him, don't you?'

'Yes, which is why you shouldn't tell him I'm teaching you Dark Arts, pretend it's advance DADA, which in a way it kind of is, you can't fight the Dark Arts if you have no knowledge of them or first-hand experience!' Sal infused, 'So, firstly, the unforgivables, name them.'

'Imperius, Cruciatus and Killing,'

'Yes and their incantations?'

'Imperio, Crucio and Avada Kedavra,' I reeled off, where was this going?

'You are force fed that Dark Arts are 'bad'. Can Avada Kedavra be used for good? Is it so bad to kill?Think before you speak,' Sal said sharply as I opened my mouth to protest loudly.

'Well, it could be used to put people out of their misery or to cull cattle easily and cheaply I guess,' I said slowly, taking a great interest in my shoes as I said this.

'Yes! Yes it can! Don't look so ashamed! You're correct, it's a hard truth compared to what you're fed by the Ministry, but it is true! A life time sentence for murder yes, it shouldn't be for the use though!' Sal said keenly, his eyes glinting dangerously as I looked up at him.

'I just don't want to be dark,' I mumbled, 'I always try to convince myself I'm not dark but I really enjoy learning the Dark Arts,'

'Well, we can learn Parselmagic, it's just another branch of largely disused magic- much more powerful than Latin magic,' Sal winked as I smirked and nodded eagerly, 'I knew you would, now firstly, have you a snake to hand? A familiar perhaps?'

'I have a snake called Quiessée, will he be good for it?'

'Yes, we are going to firstly work on the incantation which, I believe is easier to start in parseltongue with a snake to hand, hence the need for a snake. The incantation is "Rassias", go,'

_"Quiessée, can you come out quickly so we can work on my magic?''_

_"Certainly ssspeaker, what sshhall I do?''_

_"Just ssit and talk, thankss"_

_"Now, focus on fear and feel your core, ssee it, take it in," Sal hissed in a calm soothing tone._

_"How? How do I find it?"_

_"Breath deep and create a ball of wandless flame in your hand- I know you can do it- feel the magic flow through your body and then find the centre, there you go,''_

I turned my palm up to the ceiling in front of me, closed my eyes and tensed my hand to create hopefully was a ball of flame, at Sal's confirmation I sustained the ball and felt for my magic; it was a sort of warmth that ran through your body creating pathways like veins and arteries, I felt for the tingle that came with it and followed it. I threw my mind into my magic and held my breath as I searched for it, when I saw it I almost opened my eyes in shock; there was a large swirling ball of coloured light, greens, blues, purples, reds all entwined with each other. Around the edge was a black section covering some of the light, it was mysterious and quite frankly scary, the light seemed to want to get out of the bind and away from it but it was stuck. There was also a grey tinge surrounding my core, it was misty and sort of hung around my core in active, there was also a small orange lump off the side, rather like a tumour, it just sat there every so often vibrating and then lying dormant again.

_"Sal, I've found it,"_ I whispered, trying to concentrate on both Sal and my core.

_"Good, now grab some negative emotion and drag it out, force it into whatever you fear, which I guess is the full moon?"_

I struggled as I felt myself being pulled out, _"and dad dying and dementors,"_ I gasped as I flung myself back into my core for a recharge before going back to the half-way house.

_"-pull and envisage the dementor,"_

I locked on to a lump of the grey mist and sent it flying through my magic canals until I felt it reach my hand, I opened my eyes and expelled the magic forcing it into the air. I gasped in horror as a shadow of a dementor formed in the still air, the echo of its rattling breath sounding in the office.

_"Stronger, again"_ Sal urged me on, I pulled on some more mist which kept on multiplying and growing, I sent it out of my hand again where it became a dark ghost, this time I could feel the cold setting in.

_"Again,"_

I pulled on my magic and this time a fully-fledged dementor hung in the office, its face hidden by its dark hood, its breath chilling.

_"Good, now if I were you I'd stop it before your father walks in_," I banished the dementor and turned around just as dad opened the wooden door with a click.

'Charlie, duelling, now!' Dad barked uncharacteristically before turning and leaving. What had got him in a stew? I shrugged, pulled on my duelling slacks and cut off robes before checking for my wrist holster which contained my wand, all present and correct I set off, this time I had blue and blond hair with amber flecked green eyes. I skipped out of the office just as I heard dad say,

'Follow me, stick close, we don't want you getting lost, Charlie meet me at the duelling chambers,' he shouted before sweeping out the classroom. I walked over to the back wall of the classroom and ran my hand along the wall for the hidden button I knew was there, I felt a slight indentation in one of the panels with a click I pushed it open.

'Oh yeah!' I smirked as I stared into the musty dark, that was before I was engulfed in stale air that caused me to choke and gag. With a final look of disdain I stepped into the passage, sending balls of blue flame down the corridor, highlighting cobwebs that hung from the ceiling, giant magically grown spiders swinging back and forth. I pushed forwards through the illuminated passage, coughing occasionally as he made his way to the duelling room, with a stumble I fell out into the light. As I stared around the duelling room, I took in the scenery; a grand blue platform stood down the centre of the room, the blue fabric covering it had the lunar phases printed on it - how coincidental! The room had stands of red plush chairs around the side, giving out the impression that it was a stadium, just- luxury, some of the chairs were starting the disintegrate and become thread bare. As I walked around the room silently with the exception of the clicking of my shoe soles, I cast a air freshening charm to expel the dead air which hung in the room, breathing more easily I set up a score board in which we were to show our spells we used and the winner, just as I was about to create a giant throne on which to sit on but I was disrupted mid-spell by the chattering of first years as Dad pushed open the door.

'Here we are, please take a seat and face the platform, in you go!' he called as he entered the room, giving me a grim smile which I returned with a cheesy grin. All the first years scrambled to get a plump chair, a dejected Ronald Weasley dumping himself down on the last available chair where everyone else was seated, which coincidentally was bare and wooden. Dad walked up to me his wand in hand, he had a distinct air of dread.

'Charlie, they're nutters, the lot of them!' he groaned.

'How so? Not all geniuses?' I laughed quietly much to Dad's amusement mixed in with disdain.

'Yes, well Granger knows all the answers and everyone else just lets her do the work, they're just copied from the textbook!'

'And I thought she was alright!' I sighed with a cheeky look in my eyes.

'Yes well,' Dad turned to the mass of Slytherins and Gryffindors, 'CLASS! We are going to duel and you are to watch,'

'Who, you and that scrap? He doesn't stand a chance!' Dad turned to face a pale, pointed faced boy with blonde slicked back hair.

'Mr. -'

'Malfoy, Draco Malfoy,' the boy drawled with more than a touch of arrogance.

'Ah Mr. Malfoy, I am indeed going to duel with Mr. Lupin, he is more than capable at holding his own. I assure you. ' Dad said curtly back before smiling at me  
in a knowing way that I translated as: 'Do your worst, no limits,'. With a smirk I jumped on to the platform and sat with my legs hanging over the side, swinging in rhythm to my heart.

Dad continued, 'As we are going to be duelling I expect that you shall all stay silent and stay still, we are battling and in a battle do you do distract the knights? No! So don't distract us! We shall be erecting a large safety shield to protect you but even if you are safe, we are still hurtling spells at each other. Silence, stay still and no magic at all! Got it? Good.' Dad span and climbed up the steps to the stage before engaging with me in a firm hand shake for humour more than sportsmanship.

'You ready Old Man?' I smirked.

'Oh, I always am, do your worst,' Dad laughed.

'PREPARE TO BE CHARLIE-INATED!' I held my hands up and laughed manically.

'Tad dramatic much!' Dad sneered before addressing the first years, 'This is going to be in a battle format so like if you were duelling a dark wizard but with a start countdown,

3-2-1!'

'EXPELLIARMUS'

'PROTEGO! STUPEFY!'

'PROTEGO! INCENDIO CIRLUS!' I cried sending a ball of harmless flame to engulf dad, not very useful but flashy with a large bang I released the flame dumping dad in the floor, he promptly sprang up and sent a water whip at me catching my ankles and causing me to stumble.

'CONJURUS BOGGARTUS!' Dad said loud enough for me to hear but still a mumble catching me unawares. A large black wolf engraved cupboard appeared in front of me, I slammed down my occlumency shields so the Boggart couldn't reach my fears, the large door swung open and out stepped my surprise: my 'worst' fear.

'LUPIN, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!' an angry Snivellus shouted at me, his nasal voice really coming into his own, Dad stared at me in astonishment before breaking into hysterics, 'DO YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WALTZ INTO MY CLASS AND GET OUT OF PUNISHMENT THROUGH YOUR PURE AWESOMENESS? Lupin, we've known each other for practically no time at all in Merlin's great scheme of things, but I love you Lupin.' Snivellus got down on one knee and with what could be interpreted as a smile said ,'Charlie James Remus Lupin, will you do me the greatest honour of marrying me?'

'RIDDIKULUS!'

The door swung open once more, drawing the attention of the class, Snivellus and my crying-with-laughter Dad, a long flirtatious leg slinked out, fish net tights showing off its leg, then to my the classes amusement stepped out a very ruffled, ragged Transfiguration professor.

'Lupin, oh wee Charlie-Boy, don't go with Severus, he's not like me, I always loved you. Charlie will you marry-'

Out jumped a disgruntled Dumbledore, his stripy pyjamas unbuttoned, 'But Minnie, what about us? How could you do this to me? Charlie come on, my boy, marry me instead!' Minnie turned on Dumbledore who had his fist raised at Snivellus who was eyeing Minnie appreciatively. In a split second they all leapt on each other creating a ball of dust with the occasional limb flying out. I turned to face Dad, a huge grin on my face at my success but instead of finding an upright man laughing, I saw a red faced rolling ball on the floor a shrieking with mirth.

With one final wave of my wand I banished the Boggart and did a low bow at the hysterical audience,

'Thank you, thank you very much!'

**Next period, seventh year transfiguration:**

****'Ah Mr. Lupin, early I see, please take a seat at the back of the class, hopefully you'll attract less attention there! Oh and by the way, no pranks in class, these students are taking exams at the end of the year that can decide what they do with their lives,' ah Minnie had already heard of my little prank, gossip does travel fast, I wonder how Snape's taking it?, she carried on with her speech ,'though some I doubt will amount to much, don't quote me on that though,' she winked with a small smile. With a casual hair flick and wink, I sauntered to the back of the class and plopped my bag on the desk and fell into the empty chair.

A rather tall, lanky boy with red hair and a prefect badge waltzted into the room, his school satchel laden with books by the looks of things. He had red hair and looked awfully familiar: Percival Weasley.

'Professor McGonagall, there is a FIRST year in the classroom, shall I take him out?' he said with a snobbish air, Minnie took one look at me and then, with a slight tone of amusement, replied

,'No Mr. Weasley, Mr. Lupin is in this class, there will be no need for such behaviour, Mr. Lupin is planning on taking his NEWTs this year,'

Percy gasped in shock horror and then breathed, 'But surely he cannot be that good? He looks barely 10!'

With a lazy smirk I said, 'Oh why Mr. Weasley, you do flatter me! I pride myself on my youthfulness! Wouldn't you agree Minnie?'

'McGongall, Lupin and don't you forget it!' she growled before turning to Percy with a sickly sweet attitude said 'Mr. Weasley, Mr. Lupin has got Os in transfiguration at OWL level and I deem him at the right level, for one thing he has mastered Human Transfiguration I hear?'

McGonagall gave me a look that I knew meant, '_do your worst' _and so I did. Who should I become? Minnie, Dumbledore or Snape? I have an audience now, so... I made my features long and pointed with pale, pallid skin, my hair became black and greasy; I made my voice nasal and shot up ten inches, I opened my onyx eyes to give Percy the 'death stare'. I _was Professor Snape. _

'Mr. Weasley! I cannot believe that such a Gryffindor as yourself would question the awesomeness that is Charlie Lupin, he is by far cooler than you! TEN MILLION POINTS OFF GRYFFINDOR AND DETENTION UNTIL YOU DIE! Minerva, Dumbledore requests that you visit him for dinner tonight,' I drawled and with a sweeping motion turned back to myself.

'What an impressive display Mr. Lupin and thank you for your message, but I am not going out with Professor Dumbledore!' she gave a small smile, well by smile, really the corners of her lips were slightly out of line with the rest of her thin mouth.

Percy just stood there gaping like a fish.

'I am going to do the register, Bones, Lancelot?'

'Here!'

'Drewing, Bloomer?'

'Here Professor,' came a high, tinkling voice.

'Appletree, Piere?' (**A/N: prononced 'pear')**

'Liverton, Legalost,'

'Here Miss,'

'Kindman, Keziah,'

'Here Ma'am'

'Weasley, Percy?'

'Here Professor McGonagall,'

'And finally, Lupin, Charlie?' she said with a sigh, peering over her gold rimmed glasses to stare at me as I looked around to check that there was in fact no other Charlie Lupin before answering.

'I do believe I'm here Professor,'

'Now class today we are doing a recap of all that you've learnt in Transfiguration, wands out, grab a check list and fill them in once you've done the spell perfectly then times! BEGIN!'

I sat back as everyone else bustled about collecting various pieces of parchment and got out their wands, it was rather comical to watch as some people sat dumbstruck as they tried to work out how to do a transfiguration with nothing to transfigure from. Slowly and with a certain aloofness about me, I sauntered to the front desk, picked up a piece of parchment and sat back down at my desk.

_'Year one: match stick into needle'_

With a small flick of my wand, I conjured a match stick silently, inspected it so that the rest of the class could see I had in fact got a matchstick, then transfigured it. Percy Weasley stuttered, Liverton just sat there, not entirely sure what to do and Drewing seemed to be dead to the world.

'Ah Mr. Lupin, I had a feeling you may be the first to complete this task! Move on to the next transfiguration if you please,' McGonagall in a curt manner. With a small smile on my face, I moved down the list, baffling people as I went until Weasley cried,

'HE'S CONJURING!' everyone else broke into a hubbub as they set about what seemed to have been an impossible task to everyone but me.

I swished my wand once more to transfigure my desk into a pig and I was done. I flopped back into my chair and sighed, it wasn't hard, just boring, going through even the most basic of transfigurations.

**Half an hour later:**

'Miss, I'm finished,' I said after watching Weasley sit on the edge of his chair for what seemed like forever trying to make a cat out of a domino, it was rather alarming how _bad _they were at transfiguration, the only decent one was Keziah. She had sky blue eyes, brown wavy hair and a small rose bud mouth; most of the time during the lesson she seemed to be staring at Lancelot with what verged on lust.

'Ah Mr. Lupin, please now start on the term topic: Battle Transfigurations. Use your books and knowledge to show and describe how you could use transfigurations in battle. Write it in essay format,' Minnie said sternly as she passed me a piece of parchment. I gave a small nod and thanked her before starting to write.

_Battle Transfiguration:_

_Transfiguration can be used in many different ways in battle. For example, conjuring and transfiguring something to take a spell for you / and your team. Transfiguration can take varying amounts of magic and energy; many transfigurations would be better off saved until the absolute end of the battle…'_

I let out a sigh at the impending boredom that was already starting to set in.

**Half an hour, and a lot of boredom, later:**

'Please put your wands and quills down after finishing your sentence and putting your name at the top of your parchment,' McGonagall said curtly from her desk, her eyes giving the class a sharp look from behind her silver-rimmed oval glasses. It was funny how wizards could kill through two words but couldn't yet correct vision effectively or long term. I flicked through my essay and was about to hand it in when I realised that I hadn't put my name at the top! McGonagall sighed in understanding that I was in fact worse than the Original Marauders when it came to following small instructions – according to dad, Daddy Prongs and Padfoot always forgot and eventually bought ready labelled parchment. I grabbed my quill and in my messy scrawl scribbled,

_'Messr. Charlie James 'Lupus' Remus Lupin, Marauder of the highest degree'_

'Another Marauder? Merlin save us!' McGonagall cried in desperation as she read my work.


	20. Chapter 20: Pranks and a bit of Snapeing

Accidents Happen C20:

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the support that you've given, it's been so uplifting to see all your reviews and PMs I've been getting! So I figured I should respond to your reviews:**

_**Ichigo-lover-1412:**_

_Thank you sooooo much for your reviews! They're so uplifting and I can feel your enthusiasm and it's just nuts! I want to get Sirius into the story but I want Charlie to just be a bit older so he can feel his betrayal more, I think it'd be a lot harder on him the older he is and who doesn't love angst, eh? I think that it will be HHr, I think it's be amusing to say the least for the staff to see it happening all over again - I know I would! _

**_Potterhead21:_**

_Thanks so much, it's really cool to see your amusement! I find it so annoying that there are so few Marauder!Harry s that I wrote one myself! Any suggestions for pranks would be welcome - I know I have a few up my sleeve!_

**_Daughter Of The Full Moon:_**

_You have been absolutely inspiring and just amazing! I think actually you were the person who reallt opened up writing for me! Your stories have always conveyed such emotion that I don't think I'd write the same way I do without your lead! I am proud to say that you've agreed to beta me - when your laptop is fixed! Sorry I just wanted to put that out there..._

_I dedicate this chappie to you!_

_v_

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**Charlie's POV, In the dormitory:**

'My dear Marauders in training, I feel the need for a prank.' I said to Fred and George as we sat on our four poster beds, chocolates on our laps. The twins grinned evilly to match me and then after pulling identical faces of spontaneous realisation leant forward and said,

'My dear Marauder, I believe we do-'

'And as ever-'

'Our target shall be-'

'SNAPE!' we all said together.

'We really should call him Snivellus. ' I mused.

'Snivellus?'

'That's new-'

' It's not actually, it's what my dad and his mates used to call him-'

'You mean he was always the slime ball he is now?' they said in astonishment.

'I thought this was a recent adjustment-'

'Can you imagine the hair? Ergh!' I shuddered.

'I know- so what shall we do?' Fred said, looking at George and me.

'What about we dye his hair blue?'

'And cut it?'

'And clean it?' we laughed at the preposterous idea: a clean Snape!

'Or maybe a- replacement Snape could visit?' I wiggled my eyebrows and gave the twins a mischievous look.

'You mean-'

'He does-'

'Don't you?'

'I believe that Snape's twin is going to show-'

'Can you do that?' Fred asked, his eyebrows knitted together.

'What do you mean 'can I do that' ?' I laughed.

'Get Snape's twin? We don't even know if he has a twin!' George and I burst into laughter so great that I was gasping for breath, how could Fred not get what I meant?! Haha!

'WHAT?!' he said confused.

'I can become 'Snape's twin' ! I'm a metamorphagus!' I gasped through my laughter.

'Oh! Oh right! I getcha now!' Fred face palmed himself as George chucked over a pillow at his head, knocking him back onto his bed. I knew what I had to do!

'PILLOW FIGHT!' I jumped to and ran over to Fred's bed, fat pillow in hand, I slammed into Fred and we toppled onto the bed, George promptly leapt on us and we turned into a brawling bundle. If we were a cartoon, I have no doubt we would have been a large dust cloud with the occasional limb flinging out. We fought for a good ten minutes before we were interrupted.

'Mr.s Weasley and Lupin! What are you doing?' came a voice from the door, I turned around and saw McGonagall standing there, arms crossed and her lips tight. I spat out feathers from my mouth.

'We were-'

'Er-'

'Doing-'

'OUR HOMEWORK!' I cried out, at a loss of what to say.

'Your homework? But Mr. Lupin, it is the first school night you don't have homework!' she said sternly.

'Yes, we were doing a study on- on the hit-itude of pillows!' I finished proudly.

'And pray Mr. Lupin, what have you discovered?'

'Always use a silencing charm before engaging in an experiment!' I said simply, pulling a feather from my messy hair. McGonagall's lips grew even tighter before the corner of her lip twitched momentarily, but in that moment I knew that I had just got out of trouble.

'Well, you must inform me of the outcome tomorrow Mr. Lupin! And you too Mr.s Weasley!' she smirked, well when I say smirk, I mean something that could resemble a smirk.

'YES MA'AM!' we cried, saluting and snapping our legs together in a soldier like fashion.

'Oh, you'll turn the rest of my hairs grey before the year is out Mr. Lupin! And to think I worried about the twins!' she threw her hands in the air, swivelled and left the room.

'Well my fellow Marauders, I do believe we should resume our 'experiment'!'

'Why Charlie, I do believe we should!'

'Last one out the dorm is a Slytherin!' Fred cried.

'Out the dorm?' George asked.

'Yeah and to a certain professor's office!'

'SNAPE!' we all shouted before running out the room, armed with our mauled pillows and ran all the way to the dungeons. We ran down the stone steps, jumped into alcoves to avoid Filch and every so often created a few bangs with our wand-start-bangs from Zonko's. When we reached the gloomy dungeons, we peered around the corner and saw a greasy, terrifying git: Snape. We sneaked back around the corner and looked at eachother.

'What should we do?'

'We could chuck out some dung bombs and leg it?'

'Or, we could release some wet-start fireworks?'

'Or, we could simply strip, hide our faces and run past in our underwear with protection charms on us?' I said slyly, the twins gave me appraising looks and then with one nod, started taking off their pyjamas, leaving them standing in their underwear, I pulled off my clothes, careful to edit away any scars there that looked unnatural, I pulled out my wand and started doing the necessary spells.

'Ok, Protego totalum, disslusium, Slavio hexia!' I chanted, slowly the twins' heads disappeared leaving only their bodies to be seen.

'Ready?' Fred whispered.

'Ready!' George and I nodded.

'3-2-1! RUN!' we sprinted down the corridor, releasing ignited indoor fireworks as we ran.

'COME BACK HERE NOW!' Snape cried in fury.

'LOVE YOU SNAPEY!' I shouted as I ran past him, sending conjured love hearts into the air, almost a second later George ran past and shouted 'SNAPE IS MY LIFE!' I then ran back and , a sufficient distance away from the possibility of throttling, got down on one knee and said very sincerely,

'Snape, we've known each other for like no time at all in Merlin's scheme of things, but I love you- will you marry me?' I made invisible puppy dog eyes at him, they seemed to work even when invisible as Snivellus' face softened.

'Are you serious?' Snape said slightly taken aback by this unusual strain of taunting, then he resumed his usual cold, greasy appearance, his eyes grew hard and piercing almost like they were trying to break my spells, as if! Dad had been trying for months to break mine before but to no avail.

'No, he's in Azkaban at the moment! And I take that's a no, then?' I said wittily- well as much as you can with that pun- before conjuring more love hearts, bowing and running off, Snape raised his wand and sent red sparks into the air from his utter fury.

'How very Gryffindor of you sir!' I chimed.

'DETENTION AND TWO HUNDRED POINTS OFF- OFF- OFF WHATEVER HOUSE YOU'RE IN!' he screamed, his cheeks were flushed and he had a familiar throbbing vein on his forehead.

'Slytherin!' we called back to him before running back up the stairs and to the dorm. After a few minutes or sos running, we stopped and tried to catch our breath.

'Well done boys,' George wheezed.

'Successful Snape-ing there!' Fred gasped.

'A feat worthy of a Marauder!' I finished doubled up trying to catch my breath after running up ten flights of stairs and twelve corridors, I held my hand up and in response got two high fives.

'I solemnly swear-' I started.

'That I-' Fred continued.

'Am up to-' George carried on.

'No good!' we said together before having one last high five, cancelled the charms and walked practically naked to the dorm.

'If only McGonagall could see us now!'

About that... We spoke too soon.

'LUPIN! WEASLEYS!' Oh schnap. We turned slowly around to face a furious Scotsman, her lips were so thin they almost had disappeared, her cheeks were flushed and her hair was unnaturally ruffled from her usual tight bun.

'Yes ma'am?'

'Where are your brains? Did you leave them at home this year? And why did I find your PYJAMAS in the DUNGEONS?' she fumed as she pulled three sets of pyjamas from behind her back.

'We have-' Fred stuttered leaving George to fill in the next sentence.

'Absolutely-'

'No idea!' I finished.

'Fred, do you know why?'

'No idea Charlie, George, do you?'

'Nope, Charlie?'

'None what so ever, perhaps one of the house elves took them?' I shrugged as I watched the twins try to stifle their amusement. McGonagall however wasn't amused.

'Lupin and Weasleys, if I catch you out of bed again-'

'But-'

'It was our-'

'Or YOUR PYJAMAS, you will find yourself in detention faster than you can say Quidditch,'

'Quidditch,' I stage whispered to the twins who let out a small giggle- thing were always funnier when you weren't supposed to laugh. McGonagall paused to keep her cool, took a deep breath and then,

'I also bumped into Professor Snape, who somehow was accosted by three half naked boys, care to explain?'

'House elves-'

'They're nasty-

'Little blighters,'

'Well unless you can prove otherwise, detention tomorrow at six in- ooh let's say, Professor Snape's office?' McGonagall said with fake pleasure.

'Ah Professor!' we said unanimously, detention on the second night?! And we thought we were in the clear!

'Yes, professor! If I hear anymore tonight, it'll be a weeks worth, got it?'

'Yes Professor McGonagall, sorry Professor McGonagall,' we droned, she nodded curtly and swept out the room.

We all looked at each other with serious faces but slowly the corners of our mouths twitched and turned upwards, George let out a small laugh which set Fred off, which set me off and soon we were crying with laughter.

'That-'

' WAS-'

'HILARIOUS!'

'We should do that again this week!' I laughed.

'Tomorrow?' Fred said, one eyebrow raised into a comical position.

'You're on,'

I sat on top of my covers on my bed, there was a very fiddle-able piece of loose cotton right in front if me just next to my hand, I twirled it around my finger before pulling it off the cover and flicking it on to the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I saw George reach into his open trunk and pull out a package wrapped in brown parcel paper tied with string, he undid the wrapping and revealed a old battered tin, a very familiar tin, one which we spent most of the time raiding for items used strictly for our area of expertise: pranking.

'Tis the Black Box!' George sang as he lifted the box into the air and levitated it to the middle of the room where it stayed as we praised, uming as we went. Originally it had been called 'The Bible' but dad said some muggle-borns may find it offensive and bet to stay clear of religion. I pulled out the journal from inside and traced the gold lettering embossed on the red leather.

_The Marauder's manual_

_Date : 2nd September_

_Marauders: Charlie Lupin, Fred and George Weasley_

_Prank: Ran past Snape almost naked and declared our love..._

**REVIEW PLEASE! It's really nice to see if you guys are enjoying this! Thanks for reading xx**


	21. Chapter that's not really a chapter 21!

**Hey guys!**

First off, I want to say how cool it is that you guys have stuck with me and my story for such a long time! I know sometimes I need to add some action in!

But that wasn't what I wanted to say:

Basically, I'm thinking of writing a new story and I wanted to write something that you would want to read and review and generally be all like 'I LOVE THIS STORY!' Which is quite unlikely but you never know!

So idea:

a) Dark!Son of Voldemort!Harry which includes torture, death and generally is quite dark and tense

b) a fem!harry/Remus which is lovey-dovey and uplifting

c) a 'Harry is actually the heir of Slytherin and is sorted into Slytherin' which includes harry being powerful! but not super! and has a lot of Ron/ginny bashing

d) Harry is Salazar reincarnated which involves abuse, both physical but not described beyond harry getting hit and loosing consciousness before waking up and saying 'oh man I hurt' rather than anything OTT graphic

e) Harry and Tonks pairing and whatever comes of it

f) Harry is a professor and teaches DADA in the Marauder era

g) Harry is actually James Potter and grows up as James. Time travel! And deaging! Fic

I hope this gives a wide enough range of things to read! Pick your fave and review to tell me! Whilst you're at it, could you possibly leave pointers/loves/even better ifs about this story?

I love seeing the reads go up, but it is rather depressing to see only 20 people and some of those (most in fact) are serial reviewers... Come on guys, over 17 thousand reads and only 20 reviews?! It takes a click, some typing another click and hey presto I'm a happy teen! I don't tend to beg but it is demoralising that on my other story which has a much smaller fanbase has a higher read to review ratio... It's a shame cos on FFN it used to have loads of reviews but that's sorta dried up...

:(

Anyway, sorry about that!

So, review and tell me what you want and also, if you have any ideas that I haven't mentioned but you're desperate for, then just tell me over reviewing or PM and I shall see if I want to write it!

Thanks for the support,

Zebedee

Later added note:

I have published the first chapter of said story, it is called _**to hide in the dark**_...

Read it to find out what it's about! Please review! Thank you!

xx


	22. Chapter 22: psst it's actually Chapter21

**Accidents Happen C21:**

Chapter 21: Charlie gets a shock or two.

_**Thank you for tuning into the latest update of Accidents Happen, please read and review!**_

_**But FIRST!**_

_**Last chapter that wasn't really a chapter 21 gave you, the public of internetville, a ultimatum! What story did you want me to write? Well the results are in and after countless sessions of planning, drafting and editing, I can finally say: Chapter One and very shortly - as in within two days- Chapter Two have been uploaded! My story is called to hide in the dark and it has ample Dark!Harry but not all the time, so for you light lovers out there, there is plenty of funny, light harry with a 'certain- knack for pranks' - by the great Albus Dumbledore himself. Now, please, after reading and reviewing this, would you kind awfully just hopping over and reading and reviewing this new story of mine? It would make me very happy! **_

_**Secondly,**_

_**I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has PMed and reviewed me, it is very uplifting and I can only hope you shall carry on!**_

_**Speaking of carrying on, on with the story!**_

'Charlie, what's wrong?'

'Yeah mate, you look terrible!' George said with a look of fascinated concern as he peered at me from across the dorm. Today was the two day mark before the full moon and although I can change my appearance, it doesn't do much before a full moon to hide my ill health.

'Your eyes are bloodshot and, to be brutally honest-' Fred ticked off symptoms on his fingers as he went along.

'You look like you're on death's door!' finished off George.

As much as I love the twins, they haven't yet realised that when I'm ill, I'm really ill and that this was a monthly thing.

'Should we get the nurse?' Fred asked as he pulled my eyelids wide and stared into my left eye, wand point illuminated and straight in my face which I promptly batted away.

'No, I'll go later, I'm fine now, I'll go if it gets worse,' I groaned from my half-dead state.

'You sure?' George said as he crossed the room to my bed and sat on the end.

'We could take you-'

'Guys, seriously, I'm fine!' I snapped and Fred backed off with a affronted expression on his face, 'Sorry mate, didn't get much sleep and I feel pretty bad, I didn't mean to get cross at you... Sorry, just- sorry,' I said wearily as I rubbed my temples with the ball of my palm.

'Mate, it's alright! We all have bad days, you are just having one today!'

'And in 28 days time again,' I mumbled.

'What?' George gave me a suspicious look. Damn. Why did I say that?!

'What? I didn't say anything-' I gave him a strange look which was returned by more suspicion.

'Riiiiight,' he said before turning to rummage through his trunk, he pulled out a book and marked something in it before placing it back.

'Anyway, we have to do our Defence homework which is on-' Fred looked at his homework book 'Dark Creatures: list five and give the defence you would use. OR Dark Creatures: are all bad? For example: Vampires and Werewolves. Which should I do? The five creatures one means more research but the discussion one is less research but probably a bit longer... Which should I do?'

I stared at the floor for a bit before looking up. I could help him on the whole dark creature debate and perhaps let on too much or I could help him do research that involves the cementing of a belief that werewolves are out to kill you and possible condemn myself to exile from my friends but let him do a shorter homework OR I could convince him not to do it at all and sneak into the kitchens for a snack. Yeah that sounds good.

'Why do it at all? Let's go and sneak out tonight!' I said brightly, hopefully hiding my fear.

'Charlie! It's your dad! He'd know what we were up to! Besides, if we do go to the library we can collect some pranking supplies from that store we found yesterday when we were setting up that trip wire,'

'It was a pretty good trip wire. Malfoy's face was priceless!' I laughed much to the irritation of my lungs which felt like they were temporarily on fire.

'Charlie, do you think all dark creatures are bad? Like werewolves?' George asked from the window ledge where he sat with a jinxes book open on his lap.

'No, erm, not necessarily. Greyback is horrible and mean and I hate him but most I think are okay,' I said slowly, changing my answer in accordance to George's facial expressions.

'Why do you hate Greyback?' Fred asked, 'I mean he's horrible and nasty but I don't hate him as much as it sounds like you do,'

'He ruins lives, that is enough for me,' I said darkly.

'Do werewolves have human friends? Or do they only like werewolves?' Fred said very innocently, unlike George who had always thought something was up with my illnesses and regular disappearances as he knew that I missed school regularly and often would come back looking like death warmed up.

'I think they have human friends as long as the humans aren't too horrible to them,'

'Ron says that all werewolves are evil and that they should be put down,' George said casually.

'WELL RON'S WRONG!' I shouted before clamping my hand over my mouth in shock, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall I got up and said 'I've got to go,' before sprinting out of the dorm. I needed somewhere to think, I needed fresh air, I needed to fly.

George's POV:

'Charlie seemed to know a lot about werewolves Fred,' I said hoping that Fred may see my train of thought.

'Yes, well he knows lots about that sort of thing anyway, doesn't he? That's why I asked him. Wonder why he ran out?' when it came to friends, Fred was your man, you could no man more loyal anywhere but it did mean that he always was blind to any faults that his friend may possess.

'Well it was after we said that Ron said that werewolves were evil,'

'No, we didn't say that, you did. I'm going to find Charlie, I think you should stay here, sorry Georgie,' and with that Fred left after Charlie leaving me alone with a mystery.

'Okay, so! Charlie said something about 28 days which is the 15th! Which is the first day of the full moon! He stands up for werewolves... Because he knows one? Or maybe he is one?! Strange disappearances after looking ill... Doesn't say anything about that in the books, hmmm... Now I wait,'

General POV:

Fred chased Charlie down the corridors, he tumbled down passages, leapt down the steps four at a time and span round corners- which often led to him crashing into indignant seventh years from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Pulling out a copy of the map, Fred spotted Charlie tearing out of the building and towards the broom shed next to the Quidditch pitch which sported the Gryffindor tryouts for the team which Fred was really supposed to be helping out at. As Fred sprinted to the pitch, he was accosted by Oliver Wood from above.

'And where have you been?' he said with a very thick Scottish accent.

'Finding- Charlie- Lupin-' he panted before running off again which was no use as Oliver flew beside him.

'Where's he headed?'

'The pitch-'

'Well, let's go!' Oliver said happily before scooping up Fred from the floor and flying with him under his arm to the pitch.

'OLIVEEERRR!' he shouted as the climbed higher and higher. When they eventually reached the pitch, Charlie was already in the air and taken a position about 150 ft in the air, circled about a bit before dropping suddenly.

He fell vertically, he was out of control! Fred had to do something!

'CHARLIE! Oli, we have to help him!' Fred shouted, wide eyed and bewildered at Oliver.

'Merlin! Er- hold on!' Oliver said before flying down full pelt to try and stop Charlie.

20 ft.

10 ft.

5ft.

'NOOO! CHARLIE!' Fred screamed as he tried to lean off the broom to miraculously save him from his death. This was all his fault, he should never have asked Charlie about his homework!

About a foot before Charlie was about to hit the ground, he pulled up. Fred was too busy sobbing into Wood's jersey about his friends untimely demise to see.

'Fred-' Oliver prodded Fred in the arm, his voice sounded lost, like he wasn't sure what to do.

'No! He's dead and it's-'

'Fred! Look!' Oliver prodded him again.

'I don't want to see my friends mushed up- oh! Oh my- CHARLIE! YOU'RE ALIVE!' Fred screamed, on hearing Fred's screams and shouts, Charlie shot up to become level with their broom.

'What are you doing here? What do you mean 'I'm alive'?'

'We saw you- fall- and now- man, I am so happy you're safe!' Fred said and launched himself at Charlie and onto the hovering Bolt broom that Charlie occupied. Charlie seemed more than a tad startled by Fred's exuberance and that he was hugging Charlie for dear life, in fact his grip was so tight Charlie had to use his morphing to stop himself from growing bright red, he could barely stop himself from wincing in pain as slowly Fred constricted his lungs.

'Why are you here? I just came out for a fly,' Charlie said with a bemused look on his face as Fred released him from his death grip. Fred looked at Charlie apologetically and smiled.

'You see, when you ran out after I asked you about your homework I thought you might want to talk and I was worried, sorry mate-' Fred rubbed his nose as he always did when he was nervous. Charlie took one look at Fred and threw his head back and laughed, at his sudden change in mood, Fred stared at Charlie as if he were possessed.

'You- thought-!' Charlie laughed before wiping a tear from his eye and looking seriously at Fred, 'Mate, it's no problemo! I'm just tired, anyway, you wanna fly?' Charlie smiled and gestured to the wide Quidditch pitch.

At this Oliver added a word in, 'he's got practice now! We're finding our seeker and our chaser! Actually-' Oliver's face grew into a cunning, devilish smirk that Charlie couldn't help but be interested by, what was he thinking? 'Charlie Lupin, yes? Third year Gryffindor who was for some reason in my Defence class even though you were taking your NEWTs and was a teaching assistant, that plucky fellow who is now famous all around the school?' Oliver said with a small smile.

'Charlie James Remus Lupin at your service,' Charlie said with a wry smile and overly large bow.

'Yes, nice dive you did there, how many feet from the floor?' Oliver said with a wink to Fred who caught on to what Oliver was suggesting.

'2ft. I think, I can go lower, why?' Charlie said innocently though Fred knew he knew what was going on.

'Care to do it again but this time pick up the quaffed laying in the floor in the middle of the pitch?' he said pointing down at a full stop size red lump in the middle of the grass.

'You're on!' Charlie said with a smirk, he flew slowly over until he was directly above the little red ball and, with a small cheeky wave, he plummeted to the ground. Fred could barely breathe as he saw his best friend fall, even faster than a fall without magic would be, towards the ground. With his fingers crossed, Fred tore his eyes away from Charlie to turn to Oliver who peered excitedly down at the ground, a beaming smile on his face.

'Chaser?' Fred suggested, 'he's big enough to be effective but small enough to be quick,'

Oliver moved his head from side to side as if weighing up the options, 'but he's light and nippy like a seeker, either would be perfect for him,'

'I suppose it's all a matter of whether you want him out the way or doing amazing feats in the middle of the pitch,' Fred said with an air of knowledge about him.

'Yes, or we could simply ask him, he's already picked up the ball! We missed it!' Oliver said in annoyance, stamping his foot on imaginary ground. Charlie zoomed up with his hair even more windswept, the quaffed tucked comfortably under his arm, with a neat throw he gave the ball to Oliver who caught it deftly.

'Charlie, we have reached a slight dilemma, you see: we have two spots on the team that need filling and, well, the dilemma is, there's only one of you!' Oliver said very matter of factly. Charlie's eyes bulged at the prospect of being wanted on the Quidditch team and even more at that the captain wanted him for TWO positions.

'So, you see Charlie-'

'We were wondering-'

'Are you a chaser-'

'Or a seeker?' Fred said with a cheeky glint in his eye.

'I do believe I'm a-'

'LUPIN! I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU! I KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO PUT BUTTERBEER IN ALL OF THE PUMPKIN JUICE PITCHERS!' screeched an infuriated Professor McGonagall.

_**A/N: I feel a bit mean leaving you with such a cliffy as this, however, I felt it would be nice to see if you wanted him to be a chaser or a seeker? I have my eye on one, but just wanting to see where you lot lean...**_

_**Anyway, please review!**_

_**R**_

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**_Thanks for reading, any future plot queries, just ask x_****x**


	23. Chapter 22: to chase or not to chase

**C22:**

'Professor! It wasn't me!' Charlie said his face radiated innocence and confusion though everyone present knew that he had done it- who else apart from the twins would? McGonagall's hair was ruffled and had started to become unpinned, her lips were thin and drained of colour which didn't bode well for Charlie, who on seeing this fell into a steep, fast dive to the ground causing McGonagall to draw a sharp breath.

'Mr. Lupin, I know for a fact it was you!' she stated with a menacing glint in her eye. Charlie made a small gulp- he had heard all about this glint from his dad and apparently it was the worst, why? He was yet to find out.

'Professor, it wasn't-' Charlie started but McGonagall cut him off.

'You wrote underneath all the pitchers 'Courtesy of Charlie James Remus Lupin' how was I not to suspect it was you?' she snipped, Charlie Lupin would indeed be the death of her. He was just as bad as James Potter and his friends!

'Ah, I forgot I did that! Yes, I admit I did write my name on the bottom of the jugs,' Charlie mused with a small smile, he hadn't actually forgotten, it was more that he actively wanted people to know that he was behind it. Spice life up a bit...

'Yes and I know for a fact that you have been planning this for a while- I saw you plotting with Mr.s Weasley at lunch and dinner for the past few days,' she wore a knowing smile that could barely be seen to be a smile, more of a mouth shape that could portray indifference. At seeing the temporary standstill of conversation, Oliver swooped down and came level with Charlie and McGonagall, his beaming face catching McGonagall off guard.

'Found a seeker and a chaser have we Wood?' she said happily, Wood however shook his head but still beamed.

'No,' McGonagall looked crestfallen but perked up at his next revelation, 'I've found one person who would be ideal for both but needs to work out which they'd like to do,' he said smugly, Charlie kept his face stony and bowed his head slightly to hide the smile growing on his face.

'Well? Who is it?' McGonagall infused, impatience and hope breaking through her regular facade.

'You're looking at him!' Wood said proudly, crossing his arms as he spoke.

'Wood, you're the keeper, you cannot be the seeker and the chaser as well, you imbecile!' she said condescendingly whilst shaking her head in utter disappointment, she had thought that possibly the cup could be theirs this year, but obviously not.

'Charlie James Remus Lupin,' Oliver said, his voice cracking with barely contains ecstasy. McGonagall looked at Wood, her eyebrows raised so high that they had almost disappeared into her hair, her facial expression was so disbelieving and patronising that Charlie couldn't help but snigger as his head of house sent him the funniest look he'd seen in a long time.

'I take it this is true Mr. Lupin?' she said in her clipped Scottish brogue.

'Yes Professor, I am the possible new member of the Quidditch team,' Charlie chuckled.

'And have you ever flown a broom before?' Charlie gasped and clutched his heart in fake pain, his face was appalled.

'Never flown a broom? You wound me Professor, my dad says I was born on a broom! I fly every day!' Charlie nodded as he got higher and higher in the air in enthusiasm.

'It certainly looks like you like Quidditch,' she said before turning to Oliver, 'And he is good? Have you seen him fly?'

'He did a 150ft. dive at breakneck speed and picked up a Quaffle from the floor without braking until a foot from the floor!' McGonagall's eyes grew wide and she stared at Charlie who looked sheepishly at McGonagall, 'He's England material! I'm telling you!' at this, not only did McGonagall gasp, but Charlie almost fell off his broom in shock- him, England standard soon? If only he could compete!

'Well chaser or seeker?'

'Could I try chaser? Please?' Charlie said with a sheepish grin, Wood nodded profusely at this with such vigour that Charlie wondered whether his neck actually had any bone at all in it. McGonagall gave a small sharp nod before saying, 'For this one time, I won't give you detention for the juice but next time- you will be in detention before you can say Quidditch!' her voice was hard an stony but an inner happiness shone through, 'Just wait til Remus hears!' she laughed before turning around and almost skipping with glee to the castle. Charlie turned slowly to face Oliver,

'Weird.' Oliver nodded uncertainly.

'Definitely,'

**The next day, 4pm:**

Fred sprinted up the dorm steps, bursting into the dorm with a slam of the door, he almost stacked onto Charlie's bed and looked up to see an amused yet tired Charlie lying on the bed, Quidditch Monthly open on his lap, various items circled with red ink.

'You'll- never- guess what- I heard!' Fred panted, doubled over from long run from Hagrid's hut; the things that man got up to! 'There's something hidden in the school that Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel only know about and Hagrid has a dragon!' Fred burst out much to Charlie's amazement.

'Hagrid has a dragon? What type?' Charlie asked quietly, his face a perfect picture of curiosity.

' A Norwegian Ridgeback!'

'And this thing is between Flamel and Dumbledore, yes?' Charlie asked slowly sitting up as he spoke; his face was dead serious but with a very hidden hint of mirth.

'Yes, well I think so anyway- I kinda had to leg it!' Fred said guiltily whilst running a finger along the inside of his collar (he had almost been caught!) Charlie's brow was furrowed so deeply that it gave the impression that someone had drawn a black v with a permanent marker on his forehead; you could practically see the clogs ticking inside his head.

'So, it's the philosopher's stone!' Charlie said quietly before pushing the balls of his hands over his eyes; he was absolutely exhausted and really not in the mood for working out the latest goings ons of Dumbledore.

'The what?' George said as he pushed the door to the dorm open with a look of disdain at the slightly broken and dented door- Fred's bursting in had apparently broken the door. Well, that was something new.

Well here anyway...

'Dumbledore's hidden the picklesophers stone in the school!' Fred chirped happily from the end of Charlie's bed.

'Philosopher's! And who did you hear this from anyway?' Charlie asked before turning back to his magazine with a idle smile.

'Ron and that Seamus kid, turns out that Ron is actually bottom of the year!' Fred said incredulously- a Weasley may not be the brightest wand in the shop but they were hard workers... With the exception of Ron of course.

'Little bugger! He needs to learn the meaning of work,' George grumbled before flopping on to his bed with a sigh. Too many times had the Weasley name been discredited, he would not let Ron discredit it further!

Last year his father had gone to a ministry do and the family had gone- well his mum, him and Fred, Percy and Ron- only to be mortified when Ron went up to the Malfoy family and actively accused Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy of being death eaters! It wasn't as if it was untrue, but it was certainly uncalled for! Stupid light beliefs! Why couldn't kids be friends with whoever they liked?

The dorm fell into a peaceful quiet, the occasional chortle coming from one of the trio at various comic strips or memories from the day until a self-developed alarm startled the whole dorm. It was Charlie's smoke and light alarm that waddled around the room hooting occasionally until the owner turned him off by pressing a button on its head- a very effective way of waking up!

'Guys, I gotta go and have my extra lesson with my dad, seya later!' Charlie jumped off his bed and grabbed his wand before slipping his shoes on with a slight wiggle.

'Where you going-'

'And what you gonna do?' the twins asked alternatively, their heads had shot up at the alarm and had stayed up since.

'Dad's office, and some NEWTs prep! Seya!' and with that Charlie hurried out the room.

'Ah, Mr. Lupin! To the shack with you please,' Madame Pomphrey said with an odd combination of sadness and clinical detachedness; her face was pale and she had large bags under her eyes (no doubt from the many First Years coming in with potions accidents!)

Charlie slowly walked to the shack, when he arrived he couldn't help but shiver and miss the warmth and familiarity of the basement he usually transformed in, it seemed an age ago that he was last home but at the same time, like it was yesterday.

'Wolfsbane?: check! Room?: clean and empty? Check! Padlock?:- ' Pomphrey rattled off items ticking them off on her fingers as she went.

'Wait! What?! Padlocks?! I don't use padlocks! Magic's fine!' Charlie's eyes bulged as he stared at Madame Pomphrey, his jaw had dropped and his face was even paler and tired than usual.

'Yes, well here you do Mr. Lupin, so I suggest you put up with it!' Madame Pomphrey said sadly but still with her usual clipped tone.

'Next you'll be saying there's silver in there-' Charlie huffed, when he was met with a deathly silence he sighed even further and flopped onto the floor, 'You know the whole 'You're not a monster' thing, you're really not selling it to me,' Charlie remarked dryly.

'I'm sorry Mr. Lupin, anyway, I must be off and I shall return in the morning-' to heal your self inflicted wounds remained unsaid but the words hung in the air like fog.

As the full moon rose Madame Pomphrey couldn't help but stare at the shack as gut wrenching screams filled the evening air.

**_A/N: I am morbid, aren't I? Haha x anyways, thanks for reading! Please review!_**

**_ Anyone want to guess what happens next?_**

**_I know what happens, as a matter of fact I've already written part of the next chapter!_**

**_Any reviewers get kudos! I won't update until twenty people review! Personal messages and replies to all reviews next chapter!_**

**_REVIEW!_**


	24. Chapter 24: He's dead Fred, he's gone

**Chapter 23:**

Madame Pomphrey briskly walked through the light morning air across the marsh like ground to the Whomping Willow, she was not used to the whole 'wake up at 5:30 thing' yet. It had been okay when Lupin Sr. had been at Hogwarts, she had been young and fresh but Lupin Jr., well he was something else! She couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy: not only did he have the curse, he was so bright and powerful that really he would go to waste in the world unless something changed; personally she felt that Charlie Lupin would probably turn out to become an Auror or a professor, though a Quidditch player wasn't too far off the scale.

And now she walked once more across to the place where so many moons ago his father had once stood. She pulled out the key to the shack - for it was guarded by muggle means so that wizards wouldn't think of how to get in- and inserted it into the large rusted lock, a low grinding sound echoing across the foggy area as she turned it; with a small click the door fell open.

'Mr. Lupin? Charlie? Where are you?' she called out softly into the dead air; quiet creaks sounded from around the house, windows banged in their panes as the wind blew.

Silence.

'Mr. Lupin?' Madame Pomphrey called out again, but again to no avail. Time to search for him then, he was probably collapsed on the floor somewhere sleeping. With a small huff that held no real annoyance, she climbed up the wooden stairs to the main rooms of the house. Smears of what looked like fresh blood ran along the floor and occasionally the walls, long strips of red-y brown littered the area- this did not bode well.

With her eyes closed in nerves Madame Pomphrey pushed the door to one of the rooms slowly open, dreading what could possibly be behind it: a mauled body of a boy, Charlie sitting there normally, death.

'Charlie? You in here?' she was so out of practise. Really, where was her professional side now? She was freaking out over something she had witnessed many times before and would do many times to come; she brushed the hair out of her eyes as she looked around the empty room, nothing in sight except a few scratch marks and a- was that a dent in the wall? What had that boy been up to? With a silent thank to Merlin, Madame Pomphrey moved onto the next door, this one was a bit more battered and had scratched along the front and what appeared to be blood on the frosted glass; with I trepidation she pushed the door open to see a terrible sight.

Charlie James Remus Lupin lying in his own blood.

Scratched and bite marks littered his face and body, large bruises had blossomed over his body, blood in streams down his limbs; his eyes were closed and his arms dangling over his body and the floor- the last night must have been terrible! Why hadn't the Wolfsbane worked?

With a small shake of the shoulders, Madame Pomphrey tried to rouse Charlie but to little avail, even her growing in volume words couldn't break him from his sleep. With nothing else available to her, she scooped the damaged boy up and set out at a fast pace to the castle.

A head poked through the now green flames of his fire, it was Dumbledore as usual and if it were not for the fact that Remus couldn't see his face very clearly, he would have noticed that the ever-present twinkle of Dumbledore's eyes was not so ever-present anymore. 'Remus, my dear boy, please go to the hospital wing,' he said softly, his voice unusually melancholy.

'Why? What's happened?' Remus stood abruptly up and raced over to bend down next to the fireplace, his eyes were wide and contrasted horribly with his already pale face. The full moon had been an easy one in the great scheme of things but it still took its toll.

'I feel it would be wiser to see for yourself, walk through the floo and you'll arrive there immediately,' Dumbledore soothed before disappearing from the flames but he appeared a few seconds later an even more pained look on his face, 'And Remus?'

'Yes?'

'I am so deeply sorry,' and with that he departed leaving a distressed Remus shouting at an empty fire place.

'What's happened? Why are you sorry? DUMBLEDORE!' before fully comprehending what he was doing he leapt through the floo and tumbled out into the startlingly white hospital wing. As he stood up and brushed off his robes he noticed a group of people huddled round a bed at the far end of the room, the bed that was, when he was still at school, reserved for him; the group consisted of Dumbledore, Snive- Snape, McGonagall and Madame Pomphrey, not to mention the omnipresent Salazar Slytherin lording from on high. He briskly walked over and peered over Madame Pomphrey's shoulder to see the subject of everyone's gaze:

His dear little Charlie cub.

'What happened to him?'

Fred and George were perched on the corner of the bench in the dorm, Fred's pencil he had been using to doodle had been dissolved to nothing more that splintered wood and if George bit his lip anymore Fred would have sworn it would fall off entirely; they both waited anxiously to see Charlie. He had said the day before that he had a lesson but when neither him nor his dad showed up for breakfast they got worried.

'Do you think he's alright?' George asked timidly from behind his hand that covered a large proportion of his face.

'He's Charlie, he's probably fine,' Fred said quietly and tried forcefulness though it failed miserably, Fred was just as worried, if not more, than George; he and Charlie shared this connection that was so deep and profound that when he and Charlie were together it felt rather like they were twins themselves. Of course, Fred'd never admitted that to George lest he be cut off or shunned; though to be brutally honest, if he were shunned and cut off at least he'd have his other brother.

'Yes, probably being the main thing you just said,' George said darkly before looking into the fire. George wasn't sure what was up with Charlie but he knew this had something to do with it; no person would normally react so strongly to one of their closest friends asking a question about an aspect of wizarding society without having something to hide, no matter how big or small it was. Charlie had, in all the time that George had known him properly which was since the age of seven or eight, been ill fairly regularly, whether it be tired or just run down and it was always at least once a month.

'Fred?' George asked quietly, so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

'Yes?'

'You know Charlie's often ill?'

'What of it?' Fred said sharply to George, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. As usual, Fred was immediately ready to defend Charlie no matter who to; they were so close that Fred had picked up some of Charlie's idioms and Charlie Fred's

'Well, I've been thinking, you don't think that something's- well something's wrong with Charlie?' George whispered to Fred, he was always careful when discussing Charlie around Fred, he knew that next to Re- Professor Lupin, that he was Charlie's greatest advocate; he knew he had to tread carefully if he was to get Fred to see his point of view.

'No! Charlie's awesome, nothing's wrong with him!' Fred said incredulously, the very thought if Charlie being 'wrong' was outrageous!

'I think that it's something to do with the lunar cycle, the full moon in particular,' George murmured, not wanting to meet Fred's eyes, not wanting to see the shock and horror running across his brother's face.

'You don't mean-' Fred breathed, his forehead knitted in concentration.

'Yes-'

'Charlie is by no means a vampire! For one, he isn't sparkly and, secondly, he's decidedly straight.' Fred said firmly with his arms crossed; he had heard enough of that muggle Edward person to last him a life time- Charlie said the girl a few doors down got a book called 'Nightlight' or something from her muggle cousins for Christmas one year, he had then gone and purchased himself a copy after hearing her spout how brilliant and great this book was (according to Charlie, it would be better used as loo roll).

George rolled his eyes impatiently as he stomped his foot on the ground in frustration, 'No you nuggle head! A-' he looked around before leaning closer, 'A-'

Just as George was about to reveal his master idea and theory, the door swung open and in stepped a rather depressed looking McGonagall.

'Mr.s Weasley, Mr. Lupin has fallen ill overnight and is currently in the hospital wing, you can visit him tomorrow. Professor Lupin asks that you visit as soon as as Charlie apparently cannot stand the hospital wing,' McGonagall smiled a small watery smile before hurrying out, her hand wiping her eye as she went.

'Well that was quick' George raised his eyebrows in amusement.

'As soon as, eh? I always like Mr. Lupin,' Fred grinned before getting off the bench and running to his case; from behind, all George could see was socks and pants flying out along with the occasional book as Fred rummaged through his trunk, desperately searching for something or other. Finally, he stood up and with a satisfied smile, turned around to show George what he had found:

A long black cloak.

'A cloak? You went to all that drama and tension to get a cloak? Woah, my twin's excitable-' George moaned sarcastically though Fred could see he actually didn't know what the cloak was and who had made it.

'It's Charlie's, he made two and have one to me for safe keeping, he made me swear I'd never use it unless it was to see him cus, according to him, it is quite addictive,' Fred gabbled excitedly as he held the cloak up to the light, almost as if by holding it up he could see something extra.

'Addictive? But I though only dark magic was addictive?' George stuttered.

'Yeah, well Charlie described it as being 'experimental' so who knows?' Fred shrugged non-committedly; he preferred to stop asking questions about Charlie's work when it edged into the grey/darker side of magic, which with Charlie was a fairly often occurrence.

'And what does it do?'

'It is, I believe, an edited invisibility cloak,'

A lone figure crept along the darkened corridor towards the hospital wing, every so often it would disappear from sight and reappear a few metres down the corridor, always in the shadows. The soft padding of footsteps shouted out against the deafening silence that previously enveloped the way; portraits shrunk away from the figure as it slunk along the corridor in a state of rushed calm, the effect was only broken when a stumbling sound echoed around.

'George! Shh!' a voice chastised from the darkness.

'Sorry!' another voice sounded, after a small sigh, the figure became clearly two figures, two ginger haired figures. Fred and George.

'We may as well just run, the cloak hasn't hidden much,' George sighed.

'No! Well I'll wear it then! Charlie said it had other things on it as well I think,' Fred whispered back before tugging the cloak back over himself and walking a bit further on, 'Oh fine! Okay, I'll just run,' Fred grumbled before shrinking the cloak and storing it in his breast pocket, 'Race ya there!'

They sprinted through the dark, lonely corridors like shadows, moving through the halls with such knowing of where everything was that they didn't even have to really think about it. Very quickly they ended up outside the hospital doors.

'You unlock it, I'll nip in first,' Fred whispered as he drew he wand.

George held up three fingers and slowly mouthed counted down, one by one the fingers dropped.

'Alohomora!' the door swung open with a quiet click and Fred skidded in to the silent infirmary, his eyes scouring the room for his best friend and brother in all but blood.

'There!' Fred pointed to the end of the room where a figure lay silently, he sprinted over to the bed closely followed by George only to meet a terrible sight:

A pale and abused Charlie. Large cuts ran across his face and arms, bruises shimmered across his face, his lip split. This was not the Charlie they knew, this was not Charlie. It couldn't be.

Fred prodded Charlie carefully to try and wake him up, his bottom lip trembling, 'Charlie, Jamie,' Fred called him using the nickname only he used, 'wake up Jamie, come on, wake up,' Fred's voice cracked with sobs as he shook the still body of his best friend.

'He's not moving Fred,' Georhe breathed wide eyed. True to his word, Charlie was still and silent on the white bed.

'He has to be! Jamie, come on!' Fred carried on prodding Charlie.

'Fred- he's- He's dead,' George stuttered.

'No he can't be, Charlie! JAMIE WAKE UP!'

'Fred, there's nothing you can do, we've got to go,' George insisted though he lacked any real conviction as he tore his eyes away from him best friend.

'Jamie! Please Jamie wake up,'

And with that Fred, ushered by George, left the room.

**_A/N: Wow that was hard to write! I'm interested to see what you guys think's gonna happen, is e dead? Or alive? I know, I've already got some of the next chapter down... Please review like normal, thanks for reading and I want 20 reviews before I update again! _**

**_Let me rephrase that: no reviews, no next chapter. _**

**_And just to tempt you, here's an excerpt of the next chappie:_**

_'Remus, my dear boy, you are not to blame!' _

_'YOU LIE! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE ADOPTED HIM! IF I HADN'T HE WOULD BE OKAY!' Remus screamed through his sobs. _

_'Charlie is-'_

_'Charlie WAS okay, he-' Remus stuttered but Dumbledore cut him off. _

_'Remus, you cannot do this, you didn't do anything this drastic after James died and you cannot do it now, hope is not lost,'_

_'Dumbledore- I- I need to be alone,'_


	25. Chapter 25: I think I know

**Chapter 24:**

**Katie:**

_Persistant much?! haha! x thanks for your 24 reviews, they were greatly appreciated though I'm not sure that's entirely what I meant... hahaha _

_**This chapter I'm trying out something new with my writing involving notes from one char**__**acter to another; it's literally to try it out and now seemed a good time... I want to know what you guys think about it, do you want more messages? are they annoying? do you prefer plain writing? I want to hear everyone's ideas cos then I can carry on doing what you guys want and I can't do that unless you tell me xx Happy reading**_

'George, what are we gonna do?' Fred whispered from under his covers, he had stayed there all morning only getting up to use the toilet. His brother in all but blood was gone, the boy he spent most of his time apart from his twin with, the boy who was his true partner in crime was dead. Kapeesh. Never coming back. Memories and thoughts ran through his head at breakneck speed; one, however, was particularly clear:

_'Fred? I was looking through this book and I found something really cool-' Charlie turned to him, a wicked smile on his face. They had spent the past two hours designing and making pranks and various objects that they so desired such as a wand that actually was just a twig and when a spell was used with it, it set off a large bang and a cloud of smoke from the end (the genius was that there was an illusion to make it look like the person holding it's wand). _

_'What did you find?' Fred looked at Charlie from behind his cauldron of smoking stuff._

_'A ritual- a ritual that makes the two participants brothers, blood brothers,' Fred's face lit up and he put down his stirrer, the possibilities!_

_'How?' Fred breathed as Charlie pulled out a leather bound book._

_'Dark magic,' Fred grimaced with a shudder. Charlie was always looking into dark magic, he wasn't evil, it was just Mr. Lupin wasn't as strict with magic and 'sides' as his mum was. Mr. Lupin, if anything, didn't mind the dark arts that much, he even told Charlie what the dark arts were capable of. But at the same time, it was pretty clear that if push came to shove, he'd stay on the light side._

_'Charlie, I don't-'_

_'It's a blood ritual! Blood adoptions are dark as well but the ministry still do them! It's simply because blood is used!' Charlie infused, why was Fred always so against anything vaguely illegal?_

_'Alright,' Fred sighed, he really should be used to it by now. Besides, at least it wasn't something bad! 'How old do we have to be?' _

_'Technically past your majority, but I think it's more to do with the thought of kids running around making bad decisions,' Charlie shrugged as he pulled out his wand to aid with the concoction they were making; it was a itching draught, it was supposed to cause the drinker to imagine they were really itchy but it was all in their head._

_'Brothers?' Fred looked up to Charlie, his hand out. Charlie gave his trademark smirk and shook it._

_'Brothers,' _

'We can't do anything Freddie,' George said sombrely, 'we aren't even supposed to know about it, we should've gone today like McGonagall said,'

'Like McGonagall said- she wouldn't have sent us if he wasn't going to be alright!' Fred said with renewed hope, his mouth grew into the largest grin and he jumped out of bed. George just sent him a dark look and with a growl said.

'He's dead. Don't kid yourself Fred, he won't ever come back.'

* * *

Dumbledore sat in his chair behind his desk facing a distraught man, his face looked older than it had in years, creases and wrinkles looked so much more prominent than usual. He spoke softly to his company, 'Remus, my dear boy, you are not to blame,'.

Remus looked up sharply with red rimmed eyes, 'It's all my fault, I should have been a better parent-'

'No! Remus, you have done him a great service, he has lived one of the happiest childhoods available to him-'

'YOU LIE! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE CARED FOR HIM! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD A SON! IF I HADN'T HE WOULD BE OKAY!' Remus screamed through his sobs.

'Charlie is-'

'Charlie WAS okay, he-' Remus stuttered but Dumbledore cut him off.

'Remus,' Dumbledore snapped, grabbing the attention of said person, before resuming his usual tone, 'You are not to blame for the bad things in Charlie's life, you are not to blame for his lycanthropy, you are not to blame for this,'

Remus snorted and looked away, his eyes drawn to the glares of multiple portraits, however one did not glare, the one that you would expect to be the one glaring:

Salazar Slytherin.

'It seemsss to me, that Charlie isss- happy in his ssituation, and he rather likesss having you asss a father-' he drawled from up above, Remus gave him a look of confusion before turning to Dumbledore questioningly.

'Salazar Slytherin,' Dumbledore said bitterly, 'He has a- network of portraits and actually teaches your son magic as you know, though I do believe his lessons are in a foreign language,'

'Parsletongue is no foreign language! It is an ancient tongue only through the Slytherin line!' Slytherin spat viciously, he had had this argument too many times- Parsletongue, yes it was dark and more powerful when used for dark purposes, but it really was just a language.

'Remus, you cannot do this, you didn't do anything this drastic after James died and you cannot do it now, hope is not lost,'

'Dumbledore- I- I need to be alone,' Remus stood up and started for the door.

'Your son is not dead Remus, you would do well to remember that!' Dumbledore called after him with a stern gaze.

'Yes- yes- he isn't,' Remus said in a daze as he left the room, without fully comprehending what he was doing he made his way to the hospital wing.

* * *

Fred slumped on his desk, his head resting on his arms as he tried to keep himself together whilst 'working'. George poked him and urged him to carry on working but he paid no attention, he couldn't bear to try and focus, he was too upset.

'Mr. Weasley, please get you head off the desk and transfigure that frog into a jewellery box. Chop chop!' McGonagall barked at Free who made a groaning sound and propped his head up on his hands. McGonagall's face changed into one of kindness and, if anything, confusion.

'Mr. Weasley, is something the matter?' Fred shrugged non-commitally, picked up his wand and prodded his frog who let out a mournful croak before collapsing on to the desk in a puddle of slime.

'Mr. Weasley, what is the matter?' Fred mumbled something barely distinguishable as 'Charlie' but McGonagall was just able to decipher it.

'Mr. Lupin is in the hospital wing, you can visit him in twenty minutes time,'

'But he's dead-' Fred muttered as he jabbed the frog again.

'I don't know where you heard that rumour, but Mr. Lupin is decidedly alive,' McGonagall said, her eyebrows in such a frown it was comparable to a black v drawn on by a permanent marker.

'But we saw him and-'

'Mr. Weasley, he is in a coma, we aren't sure when he'll wake. Why are we talking about this now? Transfigure that frog!' McGonagall smiled one of her rare smiles and walked off, leaving an ecstatic Fred behind her.

'George!' Fred squeaked whilst doing a sort of celebratory dance in his chair.

'Don't do that,' George snorted before picking up his quill, a small smile on his face.

'He's alive! Jamie's alive! I could scream!'

George raised one sceptical eyebrow before shaking his head in amusement, 'please don't,'was all he said.

* * *

History of Magic. Ergh. The bane of Fred's existence.

He wanted to talk to Charlie; he just needed a way to work out how. Suddenly it struck him: the MagicMessenger. It was a concept he had Charlie had made one rainy day last summer; the idea that you could send messages instantaneously without it being 'hacked' as Charlie put it. They had set to work that same day with a set of notepads with the necessary charms and so on (always using Charlie's wand - no tracker on it) until they had a fully functioning set of Messengers. They transferred the charms to a set of leather bound books with their names on the front - kind of like an email address that Charlie's 'Nightlight' reading neighbour used.

Pulling out his muggle-styled book with communication charms, Fred picked up his quill and started writing.

* * *

**To:** Charlie Lupin  
**From:** Fred Weasley  
**Re:** WHAT'S WRONG?!

Charlie! What's happened? Why are you ill? I'm visiting very soon, don't even think about getting out of bed! Do you need anything?

History of Magic is booorrriiinnnggg! Why do we even learn it?! It was so much more fun when you're dad used to give us lessons! Binns's droning on about some goblin war- no surprise there, eh? And George has fallen asleep in a puddle of his own dribble. :S

Please reply!

Freddie

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_  
_**From:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**Re:** Charlie_

_Fred Gideon Weasley! Why are you writing to Charlie at this time of day? In history of magic?! Can't say I blame you... Goblin wars aren't that interesting after a while... :( Charlie is currently- unconscious and I felt that really I should alert you as to why he won't respond._

_Very impressed by the Charms on these books, did you make them yourself?_

_RJL_

* * *

_**To:** Charlie Lupin_  
_**From:** Fred Weasley_  
_**Re:** Oh, hi sir..._

_Erm- hello sir?_

_Truth be known, I wasn't actually expecting a message from you. How's DADA? Or are you in the hospital wing with Charlie?_

_I didn't actually make the books, it was Charlie but I did help with the actually practical side, but Charlie was the brains._

_It's not that I dislike HoM, but it just goes on and on and on! I would prefer to be in potions if I'm honest!_

_Say hi to Charlie for me,_

_FGW_

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_  
_**From:** George Weasley_  
_**Re:** This message_

_Fred, who are you talking to?_

_More importantly, why am I messaging you? We're sitting next to each other! By the way, you're looking good today, must be in your genes! ;)_

_Your slightly confused twin,_

_George._

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_

_**From:** Charlie Lupin_

_**Re: Re:** Charlie_

_Fred? Why is my pillow vibrating every now and again?_

_CJL_

* * *

_**To:** Charlie Lupin_

_**From:** Fred Weasley_

_**Re:Re:Re:** Charlie_

_YOU'RE AWAKE!_

_FGW_

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_  
_**From:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**Re:Re:Re:Re:**Charlie_

_Nah, that was me... Sorry... I was bored..._

_RJL_

* * *

_**To:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**From:** Fred Weasley_  
_**Re:** •V•_

_That was mean._

_FGW_

* * *

_**To:** George Weasley_  
_**From:** Fred Weasley_  
_**Cc:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**Re:** Your dribble._

_Wipe it up, it's started leaking off the table and onto the wet start firewor-_

_Never mind._

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley  
__**From:** Remus J Lupin  
__**Re:** My dribble_

_I wasn't aware I was dribbling... And as for the wet start fireworks, perhaps Charlie's already told you, but spit adds potency to the firework and even more so if you soak it in soap first..._

_I mean- don't ever do that kids..._

_RJL_

* * *

_**To:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**From:** Fred Weasley_  
_**Re:** Dribble_

_Well... That was awkward..._

_It wasn't you dribbling, rather George and then I wrote your name down on the recipients list for some unknown reason... Sorry about that :S_

_And as for the fireworks, turns out ink also adds potency..._

_FGW_

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_  
_**From:** Remus J Lupin_  
_**Re:** Charlie_

_Charlie's currently in a state of unrest and a mind healer is about to perform legilimency to see if they can wake him up... I doubt it though with Charlie's shields..._

_Don't know why I just told you that though? I'm just bored and lonely... There's only so much a snake can do for company... Especially one that hisses violently whenever you try and move it... Salazar thinks it very funny..._

_The twat._

_RJL_

* * *

_**To:** George Weasley  
__**From:** Fred Weasley  
__**Re:** Charlie's dad_

_George, Charlie's dad is one of thee coolest people ever! I mean, I already knew that, I practically lived at their house for most of my life, but he's been messaging me from Charlie's book and, get this, he actually told me how to improve the wet start fireworks (awesome!)_

_Btw, a mind healer is currently visiting Charlie - I think something's really wrong..._

_Fred_

* * *

_**To:** Fred Weasley_  
_**From:** George Weasley_  
_**Re:** Re: Charlie's dad_

_Man, I don't know what to do... I mean, yeah I thought he was dead, but a mind healer? They're only for people with serious nutcase issues! And I love the fact that that was the after-thought... _

_George_

* * *

_**To:** George Weasley_  
_**From:** Fred Weasley_  
_**Re:** Charlie..._

_I'm bunking, I'll see you at lunch_

_Fred_

* * *

Fred stuffed his pens into his bag with a bit of a clatter- not that Binns noticed, no Goblin Wars were the way forward for him- and slipped off his chair to crouch behind his desk.

'Fred, what ya doing?' Lee whispered from the desk behind as he watched Fred crawl out the room, a look of sheet admiration on his face.

'I'm visiting Charlie,' he whispered back loudly, turning back to the door he made a run for it: the door was two metres of open air away and Binns could see the door directly from his desk. Drat. With a silent silencing charm on his feet and the door, Fred sprinted to the door, heaved it open and span out.

'Stage One: complete! Stage Two: get to the hospital wing.' Fred said before shrinking his bag and sticking it in his trouser pocket. He never wore his robes, instead he chose to wear his trousers, or shorts in summer, a shirt and jumper with his sleeves rolled up; it was so much more comfy and amazing to wear than robes that both he and Charlie both wore their uniform like that, although Charlie's was much scruffier and a wand holster was often seen on his wrist.

Fred jogged along the breezy halls as he tried to reach Charlie, often tumbling through barely used passage ways to avoid teachers. As he got closer to the hospital wing he let out a sigh of relief as all the teachers but Remus and Pomphrey left to go elsewhere; Remus' head was poking out the door of the hospital wing, Fred, with a goofy smile on his face, stepped out of the shadows to wave at the confused professor who shook his head with amusement at Fred's antics and retreated back to the hospital wing, the door left open. Fred sprinted to the door, pulled on the cloak that he had forgotten he had left in his pocket and slipped in.

'Poppy, can you watch over Charlie whilst I get some food please?' Remus batted his eyelids in an attempt to try and persuade Poppy- something he'd become very good at doing over the years along with James and- him.

'Remus Lupin,' Poppy said with her hands on her hips, she wore a stern expression mixed with amusement, 'You need to stay with your son, you'll be the one he wants to see when he wakes up, I'll get you the food!' Remus mumbled a word of thanks before turning away and sniggering- his plan had worked! Poppy would be out for at least five minutes! Remus stood up and jogged to the door, poking his head out, he called for Fred who promptly dashed into the room, tufts of red hair sticking out from beneath the cloak.

'Mr. Lupin, what's the deal with Charlie?' Fred said as he pulled off the cloak, shrunk it and put it in his pocket.

'The mind healer- well- to put it lightly, had a shock...' Remus grimaced.

_'Ah, Madame Pomphrey, Poopy, long time no see!' a tall man of thirty stepped out the floo, a glint in his eye; Pomphrey just looked away with a sad smile._

_'Benjamin, Mr. Lupin has fallen into a coma and we don't know why,' she whispered as she lit the kettle for tea. She had large bags under her eyes and had an air of desperaty about her as she trudged about the hospital wing; Remus watched in horror as her eyes welled up and she turned away. Madame Pomphrey never cried, ever! The Benjamin man walked up to Charlie's bed and with a furrowed brow, read Charlie's notes. A look of disgust grew on his face after he read the first couple of lines, his eyes glinting madly, a loathing look plastered on his face. _

_'So, a half-breed eh?' he muttered but Remus caught it all and flashed a look of anger at the healer, his eyes glinting amber, 'And, it was after a full moon! One less in the world,' he said darkly. _

_'Mr. Lupin is actually a very nice boy,' Pomphrey said as she bustled over with the tea, a small smile on her face. _

_'He's a werewolf-' Benjamin shot at her, the disgusted look on his face again. _

_'Yes and I'll have you know he has a heart of gold! Benjamin, I know you have reasons to dislike werewolves, but they are not all like that!' Pomphrey stood sternly as he drew his wand to start the basic checks all healers had to do. _

_'Tell that to Emily-' he murmured before carrying on with his work. As he cast his spells, Charlie's notes changed and filled in, long lists of symptoms and attributes on a piece of parchment. _

_'Poppy, the- boy- is in a coma because he had locked himself away; he was in too much pain so his mind cut him off,' Benjamin growled before grasping his wand tightly and tapping it softly on the desk to work off his irritation, 'I'm going to heal him and- and enter his mind,' with a look of pure hatred and disgust he muttered legilimens fell was sucked into Charlie's mind scape. _

'WOLF! Where are you?' he shouted into the grey most surrounding him. He wandered around large pillars of stone and wooden doors seemingly leading to nowhere, just standing alone.

A deep booming voice came from all around him, 'I am everywhere and don't step there! There's a- riiiiight. Too late. Sorry about that.' Benjamin screamed in fury as he feet through a tunnel and into a dark room, gunk and slime coated his new lab coat, his wand was covered in muck and grease.

'Where am I?' he growled.

'You're not very polite. And you are in my mind, well technically you're now stuck in it am I'm going to have to let you out. It will hurt. A lot,' Charlie said unsympathetically before bombarding him with memories. His first broom ride. Him and his dad. Fred, George playing in the garden. Until he saw one, a special one: Charlie speaking on his own.

'The common factor towards me will let you out. Only a person who knows this and feels it to me can, once you're out you'll get it,'

Happiness. Acceptance. He had to like the little bastard. Right. As if he could like a werewolf.

Three psychological days passed.

'FINE! YOU WIN! I LIKE YOU!' he shouted from the black hole, his wand shooting coloured sparks in fury.

'How- touching. You were boring anyway,' Charlie sneered before releasing him into reality, freeing him from what his mind was, no bothering to show him the true horrors in his mind. 'BY THE WAY, I'LL BE OUT SOON!'

_Benjamin felt physically sick as he was hurled out of Charlie's mind, his mind whiring at the abilities of that- thing. Sitting down, he ran through the events of past few 'days'. _

_'Heal him fully and he'll be out in about two days, my work here is done.' Benjamin picked up his stuff, shoved his wand in his pocket and stormed over to the floo. After he had gone, Poppy turned bright red and smiled guiltily at Remus who looked stony faced at her. _

_'He was a bigoted, prejudiced, discriminative fool! Charlie's probably dead in his mind now!' he raqed, his face a picture of abject hatred; there was no point in the whole discriminative 'we hate non-humans' thing that wizards had going on, it wasn't like they went around biting kids... well Charlie didn't anyway._

_'I highly doubt he is Remus, if anything I would say that he is most likely alive and well as can be -no school work and Charlie has told me many a time in the hospital wing after broom crashes, he hates school work, it's, to him and I quote, 'the bane of his existance'_

_'Yes well- I still don't like that guy!'_

Fred stared at Remus before glancing at Charlie, 'he's going to be alright, right?' he asked as he bit his windchapped lips. Remus shrugged before shuffling over to Charlie, he slowly traced the lines in his hand, a soft smile on his face.

'I don't know, but I trust that Charlie will do whatever he can,'

'What _can _he do?! He's in a coma!' Fred stuttered before adding as an afterthought, 'Why is he in a coma?' Remus' face paled before shooting Charlie a glance; the moment he looked at his son, he swallowed and licked his lips.

'That's not my story to tell-' he whispered mournfully, his knuckles whitening as he closed his eyes and let out a short breath. Looking after himself was hard enough after the moon, looking after a fatally ill son was even harder.

'I think I know-' Remus' head shot up and he sent a wary glare at Fred before whispering harshly.

'You cannot tell anyone your suspicions for they very well may be wrong.'

'I wouldn't dream of it.'

**A/N: WOAH! That was a chapter and a half to write! Sorry it took so long! This time 30 reviews and a post and you can only put up 5 reviews Miss. Katie *mock glare***

**Oh yes, it would mean a lot to me if over the coming weeks you went on movellas. com and found me (same pen name) and read my story for a competition I'm entering for a publishing contract! Please do it! Review vote and EVERYTHING YOU CAN! I really want my book published!**


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